


Hiding Behind a Mask

by JadynRosetta



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Awkward Romance, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gay Keith (Voltron), Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Lance (Voltron) Has ADHD, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Slow Burn, Socially Awkward Keith (Voltron), fake to real
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-21
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2018-10-22 07:51:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 65
Words: 277,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10692801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadynRosetta/pseuds/JadynRosetta
Summary: After his parents got divorced Lance had to move to a big city with his Mother and four siblings.  While starting his new school life he comes across two new friends and a loner who doesn't seem to like the Cuban boy.    Lance just wishes that only good things will happen to him this time around.  Maybe his wish will come true.  Then maybe he can stop hiding behind his own mask.





	1. Welcome Home

**Author's Note:**

> First Voltron fic. I'm a little nervous about this one because it might not be good. :( Oh well... better try then do nothing. Plus I'm suffering with Kidney Stones so I should do something while I'm sitting around doing nothing.  
> Also I know like 0 Spanish, so forgive me I only know English and Japanese.

The minivan pulls into a small blue house with a smaller backyard in a trashy neighborhood.  Lance looks out and wishes he was back in his old home.  He was sick of the long drive in the summer heat building up with five other people in the small van.

“Is this our house, seriously Mamá?”  He asks his Mother.  She rolls her eyes and got out of the mini van.  Lance’s little sister Sarah looks out and stares at the house.

“What a dump.”  Sarah’s little voice spoke up.  Lance pushes her head down and stares at the house.  It was an ugly shade of blue and hell the paint was chipped away.  Lance looks down and sees the grass dying, and a lot of ants.  He saw the deck had a few pieces missing.  He looks back at Sarah and the rest of his siblings who were either asleep or on their phones.

“Rebecca?”  Lance calls to his older sister.  “What do you think of the house?”  He asks.  She looks out then back at her phone.

“Trash.”

“Yeah.”  He nods, Sarah looks up at her older brother.  She was waiting for one of her other siblings to make a comment.  Rebecca looks out again and sighs.

“We left our hometown for this?   _¡Joder!_ ”  There Mom comes back and whacks Rebecca in the head.  “OW MAMA!”  She whines.  Her Mother glares at her and walks to the house.  Lance glances back at his siblings and got their attention

“Sam, get Rico and come on.”  Lance said to his younger brother.  He held Sarah’s hand and the five kids follow their Mom into the small house.  They look around and saw how ugly it was on the inside.  Rebecca took a few pictures on her phone while Sarah looks at the place.

“Lance this place is so dirty.”  She said.  Lance nods and sighs, his Mom didn’t pick a good house but this was probably the best they could do at the moment.

“Yo Lance come check this out!”  Sam shouts from upstairs.  Lance lets go of Sarah’s hand and runs after his little brother.  He looks around the small hallway and couldn’t see Sam anywhere.

“Sam?  Where are you?”

“Lance!”  Sam comes out of one room.  Lance jumps back in surprise.  “There is something cool in this room!”  Lance follows his brother in the room and saw him go out the window.

“Sam what the hell?!”  Lance panics and follows Sam out.  “Dude come on this is dangerous!”

“No it’s not man, look it’s like a perfect place to sit and watch.”  Sam said.  “Oh I see  Mamá, hi Mamá!”  He waves.

“Samuel you’d better get down if you know what’s good for you!”  His Mom shouts back.  That only made the young teen laugh.

“Come on you heard Mamá.”  Lance said.  “Let’s go in and meet up with everyone else.”  The two boys walk downstairs and meet their Mom outside while the movers helped unpack their belongings.

“Well now.”  Their Mom starts.  “This is our new home.  I know it isn’t much but it’s something right?”

“ _Basura_.”  Sarah said.  The rest of the children chuckle.

“Sarah!”  Their Mother glares at her.  “All of you hush up, it’s the best I could afford and who knows.  With a little paint and maybe some care, this house could be worthy enough to call home.”  She smiles at her kids.

Lance didn’t care how the place looked, he wanted to be back home, his home.  The one they had to leave behind.  Why did his Dad get to keep the house, and why did his Mom want to move so far from him?  He huffs a bit knowing that no matter how much he hated the new city, which was larger than his old town, and no matter how much he missed home.  He was going to have to suck it up and put up with this until he can leave.

“Mamá?”  Rebecca spoke up.  “There aren’t many bedrooms.”

“I know, you kids will have to share.”  All the kids sigh, they always had to share but they never liked it.  “Lance you and Sam share again.”

“Why always Sam?”  Lance whines.

“Because.”  No explanation, meaning don’t argue and go along with it.  Lance pouts.  “Sarah and Rico can share.  Rebecca and I get our own rooms.”

“Why Rebecca?”

“Cause I’m an adult Lance.”  

“ _¡Jódete!_ ”  As soon as that word escaped Lance’s mouth his Mom’s hand met the back of his head.  “AH MAMA!”

“You should know better.”  She scolds.  “Now help the nice men and get yourselfs situated.”  The kids watch their Mom walk into the house and then back at each other.  They sigh in unison and help the movers.

* * *

Lance put the last few things in his room.  He looks back at Sam who claimed the top bunk on their bed with a smug smile.

“Why do we get bunk beds?”  Lance asks.

“You’re just upset that you didn’t get the top bunk.”

“Fight me!”  Lance was clearly upset by that.  Sam snickers evilly.  “Just wait you little shit, one day a bunch of fly paper will be up there.”  He threatens his little brother.  Sam giggles and lays flat on his back.

“It’s hot in here.”

“I know, there’s no air conditioning in this dump.”  Lance complains to his brother.  “Well I’m gonna go see what Mamá is doing.”  He got up and walks downstairs to see his Mom hooking up the TV and Rebecca in the kitchen hooking up their radio.  Lance felt so uncomfortable standing silently, and the house was getting kind of stuffy.  He walks towards his Mother with his hands behind his back.

“Mamá I want to go outside and walk for a bit.”  Lance said in a sweet voice.

“ _Mantente a salvo y ven a casa pronto._ ”  She says without looking up.

“ _Gracias, Mamá._ ”  Lance smiles at his Mother and ran outside.  He noticed how everything in his neighborhood was trashy and a mess.  He continued to walk down the long stretch of road that lead to the downtown area of the city.  Nothing but gas stations and dollar stores till the main area.

He made it downtown and found a strip mall and a small park.  As well as more dollar stores.  Lance began to wonder how many poor people live in the city if it results in many dollar stores.  

He started walking back when the sky turned dark.  Lance looks at the sky with curiosity.  Then it began to rain.  Lance groans and runs back home.

“Fucking course.”  He grumbles as he heads back.

* * *

Sam laughs at Lance when he walks in.  All wet and looking a pleasant as ever.

“Oh _hermano mayor,_ you’re fucking soaked.”  Sam continues to laugh till his Mom slaps him, causing Lance to smirk in amusement.

“Go dry off _mi hijo._ ”  His Mom said.  Lance sighs and walks upstairs, Rebecca follows her younger brother and watches him dry himself off.

“You okay Lance?”  She asks.  Lance nods and continues to dry himself off.  Rebecca rolls her eyes.  “Lance I know you well, you staying silent means something is on your mind.”  She said.  “Tell me.  A big sister has to be able to help her younger siblings you know.”  She said in a playful voice.

“You’re not even the oldest Rebecca.”  Lance said in a monotone voice.

“Antonio isn’t here now so I am the oldest.”  She corrects him.  “So what’s on your mind?”

“Nothing.”  Lance lies.  Rebecca places her hands on his shoulders and lets her head rest on his back.

“I miss home too Lance.”  She read her brother like a book.  He stiffened up and remained motionless.  “But Mamá won the rights to keep us so there is nothing we can do about it.”  Lance breathes in deep, holding back any sort of negative emotion.  “However you can make it better by trying to enjoy yourself rather than mope all day.”  She walks away from him.  “At least try to like it here _mi hermano._ ”  Rebecca walks downstairs, Lance groans and hits his head against the mirror in the bathroom.

“I am going to hate it here, I just know it.”

* * *

Not even a month later and school was already starting.  Rico was staying home with Rebecca while their Mom drove Sarah to school.  Lance was packing his bag and rushes outside.

“SAM!   _¡DATE PRISA!_ ”  Lance shouts at his brother who was rushing to fit everything in his bag.

“I’m coming, I’m coming.”  Sam runs after him.  “Since when were you such a good boy who loved school?”

“Since Mamá told me that if we were late on our first day she’d beat us with her old shoes.”  Lance said in horror, Sam shudders thinking about it.  “Anyways our bus stop should be right over there.”  The two boys run to the bus stop and let out a small victory breath.  Both holding their bag straps tight and praying that today would be good.  The silence was killing both boys so they started to talk.

“I wish we were in the same grade.”  Sam said quietly.

“Why’s that?”

“So we’d have the same classes and not have to meet new people.”  Sam kicks a rock around.  “We could help each other and stuff.”

“I know how you feel Sam, but we’re in the same building.  So that’s something right?”  Lance tries to cheer his brother up.

“I guess.”  Sam nods.  “But I know you’re thinking the same thing.  You’d wish we were twins or something.”

“Oh hell no, people already confuse us Sam.”  Lance said.  “How many kids do you think are here?”

“A lot.”  Sam answers.

“Great answer.”

“Oh you wanted an estimate?”  Lance pushes Sam after that comment.

The two notice the bus coming down the street, they both sigh and walk on as soon as it pulls up to them.  They found one empty seat in the middle and sat next to each other.  Lance watches the scenery go by noticing how big the city was, Sam points out how big the buildings were and all the people walking by and how many cars there were farther down.

Lance kept seeing kids pile in on the bus.  Soon it became loud, all of them talking to their friends and peers while Lance and Sam stayed close and usually silent.

* * *

They got to school and saw even more people standing around talking.  Lance and Sam walk in more, getting pushed by others along the way, and saw letters on the table.  Sam asked one kid what those meant.

“Oh those?”  They point.  “It’s the first letter of your last name, you’re suppose to find your schedule there.”  Lance and Sam look at each other, then slowly creep to the M section.

“See any McClain’s yet?”  Sam asks while looking through.

“No.”  Lance responds.  “Damn M is a popular letter.”

“Thought it was B or something.”

“No it’s S.”

“Ya sure?”

“I’m pretty sure.  Oh found yours.”  Lance hands Sam his, Sam took it and continued to help Lance find his.  After a bit of digging they found Lance’s schedule.  Sam and Lance walk together and look through all their classes.

“Aw man!”  Sam starts.

“What is it _hermano?_ ”  Lance asks.

“I got biology.”  Sam said.  “I remember you taking it and Rebecca trying to help.  Aw why do I have to take it?”

“Because you’re a sophomore, it’s required.”  Lance said in a bored tone.

“But we’re in a different school!”  Sam points out.  “What do you have?”

“This.”  Sam looks through his brothers classes.  He glances back at Lance.  “A lot right?”

“You get a free period?”

“I guess…”  Lance said.  “Maybe because I’m a senior.”  Lance leans against the wall they were standing at, waiting for their classes to begin.  Sam looks down again.

“I got Math first.  You?”

“Uh… History.”  Lance said.

“Good luck staying awake.”  Sam teases.  Lance pushes him again, Sam chuckles and goes back to watching the other kids walk in.

* * *

The first bell rang and Lance was separated from his little brother instantly.  He kept calm and walks towards his first hour history class.  Peeking in nobody seems to be in yet, besides the young teacher.  She waves at him happily.

“Hello.”

“Um… where is everyone else?”

“Oh kids are usually finding their friends at this point.  I’ve never seen you before.”  She said.

“I’m new.”  Lance walks in slowly and picks a random desk.  “I’m Lance… Lance McClain.”  The teacher giggles.

“Quite the shy one I see.”  She said.  “Don’t worry I’ll help you break out of your shell.”

“I can be quite social thank you very much.”  Lance said.  He was okay in social settings, however he always fears being rejected or annoying the other.  So he keeps quiet until he finds the right moment to talk.

Moments later the classroom fills up with multiple kids.  The bell rang and the teacher stood up.

“My name is Mrs. Page, I am you history teacher.  We are learning all about American History.”  Groans fill the classroom.  “And you will all shut up and let me finish.  Since it’s your last year I want you kids to go out with good grades and a smile on your face.”  Mrs. Page said in a pleasant voice.  “Now take out the school syllabus and look at the rules, I’ll hand out the class expectations.”  She walks back to her desk.

Lance saw the others talk or pull out a random book and read.  Lance wondered why he didn’t get a book.  He sees the classmate in front of him with one.  He got their attention.

“Excuse me?”  He said quietly.  They turn to face him, he was caught off guard by their big brown eyes, which were covered by round glasses.  From behind he thought it was a boy but now he wasn’t so sure.  “Uh… What’s that?”  Lance points at the small book in front of them.

“This thing?”  They held it up, he nods.  “A planner?”

“Where did you get that?”

“You’re suppose to have one, did they not give you one?”  They ask.  Lance shook his head, the student sighs.  “Do you know where to get one?”  He shook his head again.  “Alright, I’ll show you after class.  But I have physics after this so-”

“Oh I have that too.”  Lance said.  “See, room 211 right?”

“Y-Yeah…”  They nod.  Lance extends his arm smiling at the student.

“Name’s Lance, I just moved here.”  He said.  The student smile and took his hand in theirs.

“Katie, Katie Holt.  But everyone here calls me Pidge.”  Pidge said.  Lance nods.

‘So this is a girl.’  He thought to himself.  Mrs. Page began to pass out her class syllabus around.

“Okay now let’s begin.”

* * *

“It’s right in the office, just say you didn’t get a planner.”  Pidge said to Lance.  He nods and walks in with Pidge.  Moments later he walks out with his own planner that he probably will not use at all.

“What do you have after physics?”  Pidge asks.  

“Um… I have literacy.”

“Oh we split after that.  I have calculus.”  She said.  “What’s your sixth hour class?  I have gym, I wanted to get in with my friend Hunk.”  She said.  Lance looks down.

“We meet up there I guess.”

“Sweet, I’ll introduce you two.  Something tells me you two will get along.”  Pidge said.  Lance nods, wondering why Pidge was being so open with him all of a sudden.

The two walk into physics and sat next to each other.  Pidge pulls out her phone and texts someone.  She looks up at Lance who was looking over her shoulder.

“Do you mind?”

“Wondering what you’re doing.”  He confesses.  Pidge pushes him aside and puts her phone away.

“Texting Hunk.  He’s upset that we only have one class together.  Well we have lunch but that’s it.”

“Maybe I have lunch with you guys.”  Lance hands her his schedule.  She glances over it and nods.

“Man you’re one lucky duck.”  She said.  “So you’ll meet Hunk sooner.”  Pidge smiles, her phone went off again.  “God!”  She pulls it out.

“What’s wrong with him?”

“A certain someone he’s scared of is in his class and now he wants me to give him advice.”

“Say avoid him.”  Lance suggests.

“That’s what I’ve been saying.”  Pidge says.  “But he doesn’t listen.  Nervous loser needs to man up.  He’s twice this kids size.”  Lance chuckles and looks back at the front, the teacher stands up and hands out the syllabus for their class.

“Do we get one for each class?”

“Yeah.”  Pidge says.  “Get use to it.”

* * *

Lance peaks into his literacy class, a few kids were walking in.  He wanted to go in but he was a little nervous.  Lance took one step in and all eyes were on him.  He quickly backs up, bumping into someone.  Lance quickly turns back in surprise.

“Oh jeez I’m sorry I wa-”  The person he bumped into just glared at him, their violet eyes pierced into his soul, Lance was a little intimidated.  It was a slightly smaller boy who looked like he was going through some phase.  Lance backed away but the guy pushes him and moves in.

“Watch it.”  He mutters and walks to the farthest seat.  Lance stood in place, he was terrified of someone who was shorter and thinner than he was.  He slowly walks in and chose the seat farthest from the guy he just pissed off.  

Their teacher walks in happily.  She was slightly older but bouncy and loud.  Lance knew he was going to like her, she seemed nice.

“Hello boys and girls!”  She got up and danced around.  “Name’s Mrs. Boston, I will be your literacy teacher for your senior year.  Wow look at all of you!”  She said.  “I remember having all of you since Freshman year.”  She looks at Lance.  “Well almost all of you, but who are you?”  She points at Lance.

“Lance.”

“Oh Mr. McClain, welcome!”  Mrs. Boston said.  “Nice to have you.  Say hi everyone.”  A lot of bored hi’s came out.  “Aw come on you guys, first day of school blues?”  She put her hands on her hips.  “Y’all need more energy.”  Mrs. Boston sat in a chair and rolled in the front.

“So how about we all watch videos to get you all motivated for the rest of the day huh?”  

Everyone perks up at that and nods.  She smiles and got her projector on.  “This is a one time thing, okay?”  The students nod and watch whatever she had on.

* * *

Lance found the cafeteria and saw Pidge wave him over.  Lance sat down next to her and took out his lunch.  Pidge notices all the food he had in one bag.

“Pack your own food?”  She asks.  Lance nods and took a bite of his sandwich.

“My Mamá made chicken last night so my brother and I made chicken sandwiches.”  He tore a piece off.  “Want some?”

“No thanks, I put normal things on my sandwich.”

“Hey!”  Lance said.  “So rude.”

“If we’re going to be friends then you should know I’m rude.”  She smirks.  Lance sighs and notices a larger kid sit across from Pidge with a lot of food on his tray, Lance was shocked at the amount.

“Pidge you will not believe what happened second hour, I was trying to tell you- who’s this?”  The guy points at Lance.

“Hunk this is Lance, I met him first hour.  He’s new here.”  She said.  “Lance this is the nervous guy I was talking about.”

“Hey.”  Hunk was offended.  “Ignore her I’m not nervous all the time.”  He said.  “Lance right?”

“Yeah.”

“Cool, name’s Hunk.”  Hunk said.  “What kind of sandwich is that?”

“Oh this?”  Lance held it up.  “Chicken.”

“Can I have some?”  He asks.  Lance nods and hands him a piece.  Hunk took it and ate it in one bite.  He lets out a satisfied noise.

“Did you make that?”

“No my mom did.”  Lance said.  “Sure you don’t want any?”  He asks Pidge.

“I’m good thanks.”  She goes back to her phone and plays a random game on it.  Lance looks down again.  “Again, do you mind?”

“No I don’t at all.”  Lance said.  She bumps into him and goes back to her game.  Lance smiles, he was glad he found people to talk to, hopefully friends.  “So Hunk what were you trying to say?”  Pidge looks up from her phone.

“Oh yeah so I was saying is tha-”  They heard a tray fall, the whole cafeteria fell silent.  The small group looks in the direction of the noise.  Lance saw the kid he bumped into earlier covered in food, the culprit had their mouth covered trying to clear up their mistake.  Lance hid slightly behind Pidge.

“Hey…”  The kid starts.  “Look I’m sorry I didn’t mean to I was trying to get through and-”  The boy didn’t even look at the kid for two seconds before punching him dead in the face.  He walked away from the scene, everyone went back to what they were doing when he left the room.  The kid’s friends were helping him up.

“Jeez the first day and Keith has to start shit.”  Pidge said.

“Keith?”  Lance asks.

“Keith Kogane.”  Hunk joins in.  “He was in my Algebra class and he got mad at a kid in “his seat”.  He got placed next to me.”  Hunk whines.  “I’ll be dead before my senior year ends!”

“Why are you both afraid of him?”  Lance asks.  “Well I mean I’m afraid of him but…”

“I’m not afraid.”  Pidge says.  “He’s a serious loner who hates everyone he comes in contact with.  Yet for some odd reason he’s a serious attention seeker.”  Pidge took some of Lance’s food while she explained.  “I suggest you do what I do and stay FAR from him.”

“Too late.”  Lance said.

“Huh?”

“He’s in my literacy class and I accidentally bumped into him.  Though he pushed me against the wall so I was spared from the same fate as that poor guy.”  Lance points at the kid who was walking out slowly.  

“Great now you’re on his bad side.”  Pidge said.  “Avoid him from now on.”

“Don’t worry, he scared me so badly that I went to the farthest seat!”

“Wow and you said I was bad.”  Hunk said to Pidge.

“Give me a break you wouldn’t shut up the whole hour.”  Pidge said.  “Ready for gym.  I know Hunk is.”

“You’re funny Pigeon.”  Hunk teases her.  “But I guess I’m ready.  Just one more year of Coach and we’re done.”

“You call the gym teacher coach?”  Lance asks.

“Yeah, his name is long and he’s a coach.  So we call him coach.”  Hunk said.  Lance gave Hunk a confused look and went back to his food.

“So stay away from the red guy?”  Lance asks Pidge.

“Yes.”

“He’s only in one class so it shouldn’t be too hard.”

* * *

Pidge glares at Lance when they got to gym.

“You fucking jinxed us.”  She said in a cold tone.

“How was I supposed to know he was going to be in our class?!”  Lance asks.  “Give the new kid a break.”  He pouts.  Hunk hid behind Lance staring at Keith who was just leaning against the bleachers in the gym.  He looked as bored as ever.

“Man no one goes near that guy do they?”

“Nope.”  Pidge says.  “Dude has no friends.  I mean who’d want to be friends with him?”

“Now Pidge that’s mean.”  Hunk spoke up.  “True but everyone has friends.”

“I don’t.”  Lance said.  The two look at him.

“What are we then?”  Pidge asks.

“Are we friends?  I mean I just met you two and-”

“Zip it McClain.”  Pidge said.  “We’re friends now.  Once you’re friends with us you can’t leave us.”

“That makes us sound bad.”  Hunk said.

“We’re not amazing people Hunk.”  She thought for a moment.  “Okay you’re an angel and I’m someone's worst nightmare.”

“And I’m confused.”  Lance said.  A few minutes go by when Lance noticed an old man walking towards the bleachers.  He was guessing that was Coach.  Coach pulls the bleachers back.  He sets them down and looks at everyone, his old face points at the bleachers.

“Sit down while I take attendance.”  All the students listen and took a seat.  Almost all the students.  “Kogane get over here.”  Keith groans and sat down.  Coach points for him to get closer.

Lance was the lucky student who had to sit next to him.  Pidge was on the other side while Hunk scooched closer to Pidge.  Lucky Lance felt uncomfortable being next to the kid who punched a random student and pushed him against a wall.

Coach explained the basics and told everyone that they need gym clothes tomorrow.  Then class was somehow over.  The whole class sat on the bleachers talking to each other till the bell.  Lance looks at Pidge to see if she was going to speak up.

“So was that it?”

“Gym is simple.  You come in, suffer and then leave.”  She said.  “I hate gym, sometimes we go outside and I hate it cause my allergies.”

“Aw that must suck.”  Lance said.  “Hey Hunk, you okay?”

“F-Fine man.  How are you sitting so close to him and not freaking out?”  He whispers.  Lance shrugs.

“Honestly I’m good at ignoring people.”  Lance said.  Pidge looks up and nods.

“It’s easy to do that.”  She said.

“It’s easy for you Pidge.”  Hunk said.  “I cannot do that.  I see all cause I’m so nice.”  He said proudly.

“And what is Pidge someone with zero compassion?… Guess she isn’t nice.”  Lance teases, she pushes him playfully.

“Up yours I’m nice!”  She said as she pushed him.

“HEY!”  Keith pushed Lance back hard.

“OW JERK!”  Lance said.  “It was an accident, chill.”

“Don’t be stupid and push each other.”  Keith said.  Lance rolled his eyes.

“Whatever dude.”  Lance didn’t notice Keith extend his leg, few moments later Lance was holding his hip in pain.  “GOD YOU-”

“What?”  Keith egged him on.

“ _EL HIJO DE PUTA!_ ”  Lance shouts.  Everyone stared at Lance in confusion, he figured no one would understand him.  He got up and stormed out of the gym, leaving his friends speechless.

“What did he say?”  Hunk asks.

“I don’t know.”  Pidge shook her head.

* * *

Lance got on the bus with Sam who was actually excited about today.

“Dude did you see that kid get socked in the face, damn I was surprised.”  Sam said in excitement.  “This place is interesting, right Lance?”

“That fucking bastard kicked me in my leg.”  Lance growls.

“That guy who punched the poor kid?  You’ve met him?”

“Yeah and I prefer not to talk about it.”  Lance growls.  “When we get home you do not tell  Mamá you got it?”

“Yeah yeah whatever Lance.”  Sam said.

“I mean it Samuel, please don’t bring it up to her.”

“I won’t.”  Sam nods.  The two watch the bus fill up again and drove back to their shitty home.

* * *

“ _¿Cómo era la escuela?_ ”  Their Mom asks as the two boys walk in.

“It was fine Mamá.”  Lance said.  “I’ve made two friends.”

“How nice.”  She said.  “You boys go relax while I cook.  I need to go back to the hospital and work night shift.  Rebecca?”

“Yeah Mamá?”  She walks down after her shower.  “You going to work?”

“ _Sí_ , you watch them tonight.”  She said.

“Find anything cool while cleaning the hospital Rebecca?”  Lance asks playfully.

“No, but maybe Mamá will find something.”  Rebecca sat next to her little brother.  Lance looks at his Mom.  She looks at him for a moment then back at the stove.

“What the hell do you want me to find Lance?  I’m a cleaning lady at a hospital.”

“Bring me someone’s heart!”  Lance said happily.

“Ew.”  Rebecca glances at her brother like he wasn’t well.  Their Mom was done cooking and left the food on the table.

“You kids eat, I have to go.”

“Kay Mamá.”  Rebecca and Lance got up to get something before Sam takes it all.

* * *

Late that night Lance snuck out while Sam was asleep.  He knocks on Rebecca’s door, who was still awake.

“Yeah Lance?”  She asks.  Lance looks at her, waiting for her to take the hint.  “Come on in.”  He walks towards her bed and sits with her.  “So how was your first day?”

“I made two friends, a girl named Pidge and a guy named Hunk.”

“What kind of names are those?”  She asks.

“I don’t know, but they’re nice.”  Lance said.  “And I like a lot of my classes.”

“Good for you _hermano._ ”  Rebecca rubs Lance’s back, he looks down.  Rebecca caught on.  “Oh no, what happened?”

“I met someone who pushed me into a wall and kicked me.”

“Already?!”  She was furious.  “Who is he?  I’ll take him out, ooh you do not mess with my brothers yo-”

“It’s okay Rebecca I’ll stay away from him from now on.”

“Good.”  She nods.  “Just remember I’m here for you, okay?”

“Okay.”  Lance leans into his sister.  She held him close and rubs his arm to relax him.

“You know you can’t sleep in here and like hell I’m carrying you back to your room.  You’re bigger than me.”  Rebecca said.  “Lance I’m serious go back to your room.”  He was already out.  “God dammit Lance.”


	2. Rivalry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so tired right now. Anyways it's getting somewhere I promise it'll build up soon. Be patient with this story please.

Lance woke up early that day and see his siblings running around playing and not getting ready for school.  Sam was watching TV while stuffing his face with “Fruit Loops”, Rebecca was talking on her phone and not getting ready for work.  Sarah was playing with Rico on the floor.  Their Mom was upset that they were not ready yet.  He ignores them and walks to the kitchen and takes his medication out.

“ _¡Dejar de correr y prepárate!_ ”  Their Mom yells at her kids.  They didn’t listen to her and continued to do whatever.

“Mamá, you okay?”  Lance asks while popping a pill in his mouth.

“Lance, get your lazy brother off his butt and get him ready for school.”  She said.  “Sarah, _ahora ¡Prepárate!_ ”  Their Mom yells.

“ _Sí._ ”  Sarah got up and ran to the bathroom to get changed.  Lance walks up to Sam and smacks him on the back of the head, causing Sam to choke on “Fruit Loops”.  Sam glares at him moments later.

“ _¡El hijo de puta!_ ”  Sam yells at Lance.  He smirks and walks to their room and got changed.  Sam walks in moments later and tried to get changed as fast as he can.  Lance laughs at his brother who was struggling to get his shirt off.

“ _Darse prisa._ ”  Lance said and walks into the bathroom to finish getting ready.  As soon as he was done he walks downstairs and grabs his bag.  He took a poptart and walks out.  Sam follows soon after, pissed that his brother didn’t wait for him.  Lance offers his other poptart to make up for it, he didn’t want it.  Lance shrugs it off and waits for the bus.  Sam goes back to kicking a random rock around.  Lance began to kick the rock away.  Sam tried getting it back but Lance was good at keeping it away.

“Dammit Lance knock it off.”  Sam was sick of the game.  Lance chuckles and kicks it far from both of them, hitting a tree in the distance.

“Goal!”  Lance shouts in victory.  Sam kicks Lance’s leg.  “OW!  Son of a bitch!”  Lance kicks Sam back.  The bus pulls up during their fight, Lance and Sam walk on and begrudgingly sat next to each other.  Sam looks at all the kids who were on the bus to see if he knew anyone, Lance stared outside again.

The rest of the ride was quiet.  

* * *

“Lance, Lance!”  Pidge got the tall Cubans attention.  Lance walks over to her and Hunk while his brother walked off to find his own friends.  The group walks towards Lance’s locker, he put his bag in and started to arrange his books.

“So did you hear about the new game on the 3DS?”  Pidge asks Hunk.  Hunk only rolled his eyes and pulled his phone out.

“Is it that “Echos” remake game?”  Hunk asks.  Pidge nods aggressively.  “Pidge why are you freaking out over another Fire Emblem game?”

“You know I love the RPG genre.”  She said.  “I mean remember when Sun and Moon came out?  I pre ordered it a month early and skipped school to get my own copy.”  Pidge looks over at Lance.  “Do you play?”

“Um… I’ve played Pokemon.”  Lance said.

“Ha!”  Pidge points at Hunk.

“But what’s Fire Emblem?”  That question had Pidge gasping.

“You’ve never heard of Fire Emblem?!”  She asked.  Lance nods and pulled his history book out.  “You HAVE a 3DS right?”  He nods again.  Pidge pulls out a game case and flips through, she hands Lance a copy of Awakening.  “This is one you have to play.  Like HAVE to play!”

“Um… okay?”  Lance took it.  He puts it in his bag.

“You need to play that all the way through!  ALL THE WAY!”  Pidge said.  “Then you’ll understand why I’m freaking out.  Unlike SOME PEOPLE.”  She looks at Hunk who only gave her a look.

“I’ve played it Lance, you can delete my file.”  Hunk said.  “It’s not that fun.”  He said not looking up from his phone.

“You didn’t like it because you’d rather cook then play some awesome games.”  Pidge said.

“I pity your future husband.”  Hunk said with no emotion.  Pidge began to slap Hunk, Lance chuckles.

“I’ll give it a go and tell you what I think.”  Lance shuts his locker door smiling.

“Thanks Lance.”  Pidge said.  The bell rang at that moment.  “Let’s get going Lance, see you at lunch Hunk.”

“Yeah, see you nerds later.”  He walks away.  Lance walks with his tiny friend to history.  

* * *

Lance grumbles looking at his notes.  Pidge put her planner under her book and walked next to Lance.  

“Homework already?”  He asks.  Pidge nods and quickly took her phone out.  Lance kept staring at his assignment wanting it to go away.  It wasn’t working.

“Lance you’ll have to ignore it, it won’t go away.”  She said.  Lance mumbles and puts his homework away.  

“We have to read this heavy book?”  He asks.  Pidge gave him a look like he was stupid.

“No we have the book so we can remind ourselves we have history.”  She said sarcastically.

“Okay no need to be rude.”  Lance grumbles.  They walk to physics and Pidge’s phone immediately goes off.  She groans and picks it up.  “Is it Hunk?”  Lance asks.  She nods and reads over her message.  Pidge texts him back in annoyance.  She put it on vibrate and puts it in her pocket.

“He’s scared of Keith again.”

“Well he is scary, I mean those eyes look like they could steal souls.”  Lance shudders.  Pidge only rolls her eyes at how pathetic Lance was being.  

“Keith is only one guy, don’t worry about him.”  Pidge sat down, Lance sat next to her waiting for class.

“You’re brave for not being afraid of him.”  Lance confessed.

“I avoid him, he’s been trouble since day one.”  Pidge said.  “He constantly gets into fights and never feels bad for them.  He’s trouble.”

“How long have you known him?”  Lance asks.

“Since he moved here.”  She said.  “Don’t know much about him in all honesty.”  Pidge admits.  That got Lance curious, however he wasn’t going to figure out.  He’d rather live.

* * *

After class Lance walks quickly to literacy to avoid bumping into anyone.  He slinked into the traffic of high school kids and walks with them.  Lance was frustrated that people were moving slowly, he wanted to get there quickly.  He felt a hand touch his shoulder.  He looks over to see a familiar face smiling at him.

“Yo _hermano_!”  Sam says happily.  “Where you headed?”

“Literacy, you?”  Lance asks.

“I’m going to biology.”  He said.  “Look at this fucking thing!”  Sam held up his book, Lance laughs at the size.  “No dude it goes into the thousands!  You try reading this!”  Sam said.

“Sam I can’t focus on a book for more than five seconds.  Good luck getting me to read anything.”  Lance chuckles.  Sam sighs and moves into his class.

“See you at the turn arounds.”  Sam shouts.

“Yeah see ya.”  Lance waves, he was so distracted by his brother that he bumped into someone.  “Oh sorry.”  Lance said, he froze in his spot.  The person who bumped into him glared, violet eyes staring him down.  “Oh shit…”  He mumbles.

Keith turns to face him and pushes him away.

“What have I told you before?  Watch.  IT.”  He growls.  “Or are you so stupid that you can’t comprehend English?”  He spat.  Lance ignores him and walks past him into class.  That enraged the smaller boy.  “Hey I’m talking to you!”

“Oh you were?  Sorry I can’t hear anyone who’s out of earshot from me.”  Lance said in a sassy tone.  He puts his stuff down and sat.  Keith stood there to surprised to really say anything.  He kicks the door frame and walks to his desk, no one wanted to go near him.  Everyone who was in the room stares at Lance in disbelief.  He felt a little uncomfortable, but he ignored it.  Lance hoped the teacher would show up soon.

* * *

“You what?!”  Hunk asks.

“I stood up against Keith.”  Lance said again.  “You want some blueberries?”  He asks Pidge, she rejected them.

“How did you stand up against Keith?  He’s Keith Kogane, nobody messes with him!”

“And nobody calls me stupid or makes fun of me being bilingual.”  Lance said.  “I’m just surprised that nobody has ever stood up to him.”  He admits, Pidge puts her phone down and looks at him.

“People have stood up to Keith, they just get knocked down soon after.”  Pidge says.  “You watch yourself for the rest of the day.”  She pats Lance’s back.  “I mean it, Keith will hold a grudge against you.  If you’re not careful then he’ll get you.”

“I’m fine, nothing will happen I swear.”  Lance said.

“He’s staring at you right now dude.”  Hunk points over at a lone table.  Keith was glaring at Lance from afar.  Lance wanted to hide behind his tiny friend but he remained in his seat.  He wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction.  Instead he waves at Keith, that caused the boy to jump and look down at his food.

“He’s going to kill you.”  Pidge said.

“I’ll be fine.”  Lance said.  “So about this Fire Emblem game… what’s it like?”

“No no no, I will let you see for yourself.”  She said.  “So what other games do you play?  Zelda?  Xenoblade?  Or maybe some other console?”  Pidge asks Lance in excitement.

“Um… I can’t afford any kind of consoles.”  Lance admits.  Pidge gasps in horror.

“Dude, you and Hunk should hang out at my place Friday!  We can play and hang out.  I can ask my Mom to order pizza!”  That one sentence sold Hunk.

“I’m in.”  He said.  Pidge turns to Lance.  He scratches the back of his head and thinks for a moment.

“I guess.  I’ll have to tell my Mamá.”  Lance said.  Pidge hugs him happily.

“Yes, you have to come over and play some.  My brother has been so busy with college so having a new game mate would be awesome!”  She squeaks.  Lance wasn’t going to deny that Pidge talking about games was probably one of the cutest things he’s ever seen.

* * *

Lance took out his gym clothes from his locker and met up with the other two.  Pidge was hugging her clothes while Hunk had a plastic bag.

“Let’s go.”  Pidge lead the group down to the gym.  Hunk grabs Lance’s shoulder and gave him a concerned look.  Pidge looked back at the two.  “Hunk, Lance will be fine.”

“But Keith.”

“Keith won’t do shit when Coach is around.”  She said.  “Now let’s go.”  The three walk into the gym and see everyone in their little groups talking to each other.  Lance notices Keith leaning against the wall, he looks up at Lance.  The Cuban pretends to not notice and walks with Pidge.

“You’re going to die I just know it.”  Hunk said.

“Hunk he’ll be fine.”  Pidge says.  “You worry too much.”  The three notice Coach come out and take attendance.  As soon as their name was called they walk to the changing room.  Lance walks in while Hunk was getting ready.

“This place reeks.”  Lance said.

“It’s full of sweaty guys, what do you expect?”  Hunk asks.

“To smell less like a farm full of pigs.”  Lance said in a cold tone.  He took his shirt off and threw it in with Hunks clothes.  “We’re sharing now.”

“Whatever dude.”  Hunk said.  Lance didn’t expect anything, perfect chance to do something.  So Keith splashed a bunch of water on his back.  Lance jumps as the cold liquid hit his back.  Keith smirks and walks off.

“ _Ese bastardo…_ ”  Lance growls.  He wasn’t taking that, he wasn’t letting Kogane win this battle.  Lance looks around and saw an ice machine.  Perfect.

Lance walks over and got a handful of ice.  He sneaks up behind Keith and quickly dumps ice down his shorts.  Keith yelps as it went down his leg.  He shot back at Lance who already ran off laughing at him.  Hunk sighs and ran after him.

“Dude you’re asking for it!”

“I’m fine.”  Lance said.  “Did you hear him yelp like that?”  Lance began to laugh again.  “You’re scared of a guy who squeaks like that.  I can’t believe it.”  Lance couldn’t stop laughing.  Hunk grabs him and brought him close to his face.

“He will kill you!”  Hunk shouts.  Lance blushed a bit and lowered his head.

“Thanks for caring but can you back up a bit?”  Lance asks.  Hunk gave Lance a confused look but nods and puts him down.  Pidge walks up to the two.

“Why are you yelling Hunk?”  She asks.  Hunk looks at her for a moment.

“Aren’t your tank top sleeves to large?”  He asks.

“I have a tank top on under this so I’m fine.”  Pidge said.  “But now why are you yelling?”

“Oh yeah…”  Hunk points at Lance.  “He dumped ice down Keith’s shorts!”  That caused Pidge to laugh.  She held up her hand at Lance.

“High five my man!”  Pidge said happily.  “Finally someone is putting him in his place.”  Lance high fives her.  Hunk shook his head.

“Pidge this isn’t a good thing.  Lance could get hurt, it’s only his second day and he’s going to get in serious trouble.”

“He’s fine.”  Pidge said.  “Like anything will happen to him.”

* * *

After gym Lance waits for Hunk to open his locker.  Hunk messed up multiple times so he resorts to swearing and calling his lock names, Lance messed with his bangs and waited.  He noticed Keith walking up to him.  Lance completely ignores him till.

“Hey Lance.”  Keith growls.  Lance looks down for a moment, then was greeted by Keith’s fist.  Lance held his face in pain, Hunk grabs him and helps him up.

“Dude what the fuck?!”  Hunk shouts.  Keith didn’t say anything, he just walked away.  Lance lifts his hand from his face and noticed blood coming out of his nose.  He groans and sat back on the benches.

“You okay?”  Hunk asks.

“No, damn he can punch.”  Lance growls.  He stood up slowly.

“I think you should see the nurse.”  Hunk said.

“I’m fine.”  Lance got changed and walks out.  Hunk follows him.

“I’m serious.”  Hunk whines.  “You need to get that checked.”  He pokes Lance’s nose.  Lance yelps and pulls back.  

“D-Don’t touch it!”

“AHA!  It IS broken!”  Hunk points out.

“No it isn’t, just a little blood is all.”  Lance said.  “Listen I’m gonna go, don’t tell anyone about this.  Especially Pidge.”  Lance walks off.  Hunk sighs knowing that this wasn’t going to end well.

* * *

“WHAT?!”

“SHHHHHHH Rebecca!”  Lance whines.  It was late at night and he didn’t need Rico and Sarah waking up.

“Lance ¿ _Qué diablos_?”  Rebecca hisses.  Lance leans back against her wall and looks away from her.  He didn’t know what to say to Rebecca.  She seemed so protective all of a sudden, ever since he told her he had problems with this guy it’s been nothing but snapping and demanding to know who this kid or his parents are.

“Hunk thought he broke my nose, I said he didn’t and I think it’s better.”  Lance said.  Rebecca groans and falls back on her bed.

“Lance you need to be more careful.  You completely lost today.”

“No I didn’t!”  Lance felt embarrassed.

“What’s his name?  I want a name **right.**   **Now**.”  She demands.  Lance gave in to his sisters demands and sighs.

“Keith.”

“Keith what?”  Rebecca wanted more.

“Uh… his last name began with a K as well… trying to remember it.”  Lance couldn’t remember.  He tried to remember and it made his body grow impatient, he leg began to bounce and he started to mess with his bangs.  Rebecca grabs his leg and rubs his head.

“Shhh Lance it’s okay.  Tell me once you know, okay?”  She asks.  Lance smiles at his sister.  He nods and took a deep breath to calm down.  “I need to know him, he’ll rue the day he crosses Rebecca McClain!”  She smirks.  Lance began to laugh.

“Heh, the Wrath of Rebecca.”  Lance said in his fit of laughter.

“Lance I’m serious.”  Rebecca held him close.  “I don’t like hearing that my baby brother got punched.”  She said.

“I’m not a baby, and I’m fine now.”  Lance said.  Rebecca only shook her head.

“If you keep getting into fights with this kid then I’m going to get involved.”  She said.  “And don’t say I shouldn’t because no one will stop me.  I will take care of this brat myself if I have to.”

“What if he tells his parents?”  Lance asks.

“Let him, I’ll tell his parents he’s a straight up brat.”  She said.  Lance laughs at her words.

“So I guess there is no helping it.”

“None.”  Rebecca said.  “Now go to your room.”  She pushes him off her bed.

“Ow… okay goodnight.”  He walks out.

* * *

Pidge finds Lance the next day and punches his arm.

“GAH!  Tiny one what is wrong with you?!”  Lance squeaks.

“What’s wrong with YOU?  Getting punched by Keith I swear to God you need help!”  The angry girl kept punching him.

“Why are you punching me?!”

“Because I’m frustrated!”  She shouts, continuing to punch his arm.

“Hey guys.”  Hunk walks in.

“TRAITOR!”  Lance shouts.  “You told Pidge when I told you NOT to tell Pidge, otherwise this shit happe- STOP PUNCHING ME!”

“NEVER!”

“Sorry man but I had to tell Pidge, she’s our friend.”  Hunk said.  Lance and Pidge both ignored Hunk and started fighting each other.  Lance gave up and picked the small girl up.

“NO LET ME GO!”  She began to hiss like a cat.  Hunk gave the two a look and slowly held his phone up and began recording it.

“The shit I put up with.”  He mumbles.

* * *

Lance and Pidge separate for third hour, Pidge gave Lance a warning to not go near Keith at all.  Lance said he will try and went to third hour.  Lance kept his word and tried, until Keith messed with him first.

“Oh look you actually made it in the room without hitting anyone.”  Keith said in a smug tone.  Lance ignored him.  “No comebacks Lance?”

“Fuck off Keith.”  Lance said.  Keith stood next to Lance, waiting for him to make a move.  “I said fuck off.”

“How about you make me?  Or was that punch all it took to scare you?”

“I’m not scared of you, now piss off Mullet Boy.”  Lance shouts.

“What was that?”  Now Keith was offended.  Lance stood to be on equal ground.

“You heard me!  1970’s called, they want their hair back!”

“At least I ain’t some dumbass who doesn’t seem to know much English!”

“Oh want some English?  How about ‘Fuck you you cock sucking piece of shit!’!  Was that enough English for you Mullet?”

“Call me Mullet one more time Lance!”  Keith threatens.  Mrs. Boston was in the doorway watching the two, both turn and look at her.  She said nothing but points outside.  They both groan and walk out.

* * *

The two sat in the principal's office and were waiting for him for a good five minutes, nothing was said.  Lance became nervous and his leg started bouncing, Keith looks at him and became annoyed at it.

“Stop it.”

“Stop what?”

“Whatever you’re doing with your leg.”  Keith points.  Lance gave him a confused look.

“I-I can’t help it.”  Lance said, it bounced faster.

“Knock it off.”  

“Ignore it.”

“I can’t it’s right there and … damn how can you do that so fast?”  Keith was now more curious than annoyed.

“I don’t know.”  Lance said.  Keith watches then tries himself.  Lance looks at him with a ‘serious?’ face.

“Dude that’s impossible.”  Keith stops.  Lance tried calming down, it didn’t stop his leg but it slowed it down.

The principal comes in moments later and notices the two in his seat, he saw Keith and sighs like it was usual to see him.  He walks by Lance and pats his head.  Lance’s leg stops and he looks up at the principal.

“Calm down kid, you don’t need to be so nervous.”  Lance nods and stayed perfectly still.  The two boys stare at the principal as he takes a seat behind his desk and stares at the two.  “So you two got into a little fight now?”

“Yes sir.”  Lance nods, Keith stayed silent.  The principal looks over at Keith then back at Lance.

“I’ve heard from Mrs. Boston that not nice things were said in there.  Is this true?”

“Yes sir.”  Lance nods again, Keith rolls his eyes.

“Keith?”  The principal spoke to him.

“Yes?”  

“What did Lance say to you?”

“Called me Mullet Boy.”  Keith said.

“Okay, Lance what did Keith say to you?”

“He made fun of me for being bilingual.”  Lance said.

“Did not!”

“You kept asking if I understood English in an insulting way!”  Lance shouts.

“Boys.”  The principal starts.  “Now I am going to let you both off with a warning.  You may go back to class, but no more fighting between you two.  Am I making myself clear?”

“Yes sir.”  Lance nods, Keith nods slightly as well.  The principal smiles at them.

“Good, now off you two go.”  He released them.  Keith and Lance left and didn’t speak a word to each other down the halls back to literacy.  

* * *

Hunk and Pidge gave Lance a look of disappointment.  He ignored it the best he could, till the punching started again.

“You don’t listen do you?!”  She said.  “Day three, day fucking three and you have to fight him!”

“He started it!”  Lance complains.

“Don’t care, school started three days ago and you’ve made enemies with the worst kid in our grade!”  Pidge sighs.  “I don’t get it.  Most people don’t make enemies that fast.”

“Nor do they make friends that fast.”  Lance said.  “Guess I’m a magnet for all sorts of people~”

“Never talk like that again.”  Pidge said.  “Hunk help me out here.”

“Nope, his fault for getting himself into this mess.”  Hunk said.  Pidge pouts and looks away from her guy friends.

“Today in gym you stay close to Hunk and I.  You two will not speak to each other at all.”  Pidge says to Lance like a Mother talking to her child.  Lance sighs and leans back in his seat.

“Yes Mother.”  Lance said in a sarcastic tone.

“I’m serious!”

“I know I know.”

“Good.”

* * *

After school was over Pidge walks with Lance to the turn arounds just to make sure he was safe.

“You still coming over Friday?”  She asks.  Lance slaps his head.

“ _Oh mierda,_ I’ll ask my Mamá tonight.”  Lance said.

“Okay, let me know tomorrow okay?”

“Kay.”  Lance said.  He heard someone run up and hug him from behind, Pidge backs off in surprise.

“Who the-?”  She shouts.  Lance looks over and puts the attacker in a headlock.

“Sam you silly-”  He gives his brother a noogie and releases him.  Pidge stood in confusion.  “Oh yeah, Pidge this is my little brother Samuel.  Sam this is Katie, everyone calls her Pidge though.”

“Yo.”  Sam said.

“Hi.”  She waves.  “Anyways my Mom is probably out front waiting for me so I gotta go.  See you tomorrow, nice to meet you Sam.”  She gives them both a dorky smile and runs off.  The two wave at her.

“Dude she’s hot.”  Sam said.  Lance stops waving and slowly turns towards his brother.

“What?”

“That gal pal of yours.”

“I-I know who you’re talking about but… what?”

“You don’t think she’s attractive?”  Sam asks.  Lance shook his head.

“N-No Pidge is pretty and all but I never thought about her like that!”  Lance said.  “Don’t hit on my friend okay?”

“No promises _hermano._ ”  Sam said.

“ _Déjala en paz._ ”  Lance said in a cold tone.  “Let’s go home.”

“Okay.”  Sam said.  “Don’t got to be a dick about it.”


	3. Wrath and Apology

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so tired right now, and I'm on my second to last week of school so no new chapters soon. Sorry but I've gotta pass everything so I can graduate next year.

Lance and Sam back home and flop on the couch.  Lance saw Sam take it first so naturally he laid right on top of him.  Sam groans uncomfortably but he was ignored.  There Mom walks in and grabs her car keys.

“Rebecca I’m going now.”

“Kay Mamá.”  Rebecca shouts back.  Lance got up quickly, hurting Sam in the process, and runs over to his Mom.

“Mamá, Mamá can I ask you something?”

“What is it Lance?”  She sounded a bit annoyed.  Lance looks over.

“Um… a friend invited me to her house this Friday so I was checking if that was okay with you.”  Lance said, his Mom crosses her arms looking right at him.    “ _Así que ¿puedo Mamá?_ ”  He asks sweetly.  His Mother let out an annoyed sigh and nods.

“Yes you can.  But you get home before dark, _¿hacer yo claro?_ ”  She asks.  Lance nods happily.

“Yes yes I understand.   _¡Muchísimas gracias Mamá!_ ”  Lance says and runs upstairs happily.  His Mother smiles and walks towards the door.

* * *

Lance was downstairs when he was talking to Rebecca that night.  She found a new show she adored, but it was on a two in the morning.  When it went to commercial she looks at him.  He knew where this was going.

“Soooooo how was school yesterday?”  She asks.  Lance thought about what to say without pissing his sister off.  His leg gave him away.  “Lance what happened?”

“Um… nothing much.”

“Lance you are a bad liar.”  Rebecca said.  “Is it that boy again?  Oh I’m gonna get him if it’s the last thing I-”

“N-No no no it wasn’t him!”  Lance lied.  Rebecca looks at him and raised one slim eyebrow.  The show came back which saved him.  Rebecca watched it ignoring Lance, he was thankful the cheesy show was back.  However it was almost over so his saving grace left him in a matter of minutes.

As soon as it was over his sister looks right at him.  He didn’t want to explain the fight they had, he got sent to the office and that alone would send Rebecca over the edge.  She was waiting for him to answer her honestly, her eyes shooting holes into him.  Lance caved in.

“I got into another fight with him and sent to the principal’s office, please don’t tell Mamá!”  He whines.  Rebecca was shocked at what she heard.  She walks off then comes back with their Mom’s sandal.  “No no no no I’m sorry!   _¡Perdón!  ¡Perdón!_ ”  Lance’s apologies did not save him from _la chancla_.  Rebecca smacks her brother upside the head.

Lance runs from his sister, Rebecca chases him with the sandal causing Sarah to wake up and watch her two siblings run around.  Sarah spoke up after a few seconds of watching.

“Rebecca, why are you beating Lance up?  Did he do something bad?”  She asks.  Rebecca points at Lance with the sandal, causing him to flinch.

“Sarah, when you get older do not be like this idiot!”  Rebecca shouts.  Lance runs to his little sister and hugs her.

“Sarah protect me!”

“Don’t use our little sister as a meat shield!”  Rebecca shouts again.  “Come here and take your beating like a man!”

“I’ll run from _la chancla_ like a little bitch!”  Lance took Sarah and ran off.  Rebecca chased him again.

* * *

The next two days were the same, the three meeting up, Lance and Keith fought, getting scolded at lunch, and fighting some more.  Then go home.  After school Friday the two boys follow their little friend to her Mom’s car.

“Hey Mom.”  Pidge said as she climbed in.  Hunk and Lance crawl into the back of the small car.

“Hey Mrs. Holt.”  Hunk said.

“Nice to see you again Hunk.  Oh.”  She noticed Lance climb in shyly.  “Is this the boy you’ve been talking about?”  Her Mom asks.

“Yep, Lance this is my Mom.”

“Hello Mrs. Holt.”  Lance said sweetly.  Her Mom smiles and began to drive off.  Lance notices the type of neighborhood Pidge lived in, far better than his.  At least her neighborhood had grass.  They stop at a slightly large house, Lance’s jaw dropped.  “You live here?!”

“Yeah?  Come on.”  Pidge walks out of the car with Hunk.  Lance was nervous to walk into such a nice house after living in what he called home.

Lance walks in and saw so many pictures of a happy family and two kids being successful, something Lance never experienced.  He looks at one with a boy and a girl who looked like a princess.  Pidge walks by him.

“Oh that’s Matt and I before he went to the academy.”  Pidge said.  Lance looks at her in surprise and points at the picture.

“Wait, that’s you?!”  Lance asks.  Pidge nods.

“Yeah that was me last year.  I cut my hair as you can see.”  She says.  Lance looks at the boy again.  “Matt’s my brother, he’s a few years older than me.”

“I remember you talking about him.  You played games with him all the time, right?”  Lance asks.  Pidge smiles and nods happily.

“My brother is like my hero.  I look up to him.”  She said.  “I miss him, I wish he’d come home, my Dad as well.”  Pidge looks at a frame with a few medals in them.  “My Dad is a space explorer.  My brother wants to be just like that.”  She looks down.  “And I want to be one too.”

“A pilot?”

“Yeah.”  Pidge said happily.  “I want to travel space.  Maybe find some aliens.”  She said.  Lance rolls his eyes and walks deeper into Pidge’s home.  Pidge runs past Lance and upstairs, she calls for him to follow.  Lance slowly walks up the stairs and into a big room painted green with a huge TV and consoles all over the floor.

Hunk was sitting on a huge king sized bed with a happy Pidge sitting next to him.  She pats the bed offering Lance a seat, he smiles and jumps on.

“Yay we’re here!”  She said.  “Kay so we can play on the wii, wiiU, ps4, xbox… your pick you two.”  Pidge said.

“I just want pizza.”  Hunk admits.

“I know what you want.”  Pidge pouts.  “Lance?”  She got in Lance’s face and points at her consoles.  “Soooo?”  Her eyebrows wiggle, Lance chuckles at Pidge’s cute behavior.  Lance picks up a random controller.  “Ps4?”  She asks.

“Sure?”

“Okay then.  I have Dangan Ronpa, Project Diva X, and whatever this is… Matt bought it so I don’t know what this is…”

“Is that all?”  Lance asks.

“Oh there’s more back here, like Kingdom Hearts and…”  She looks on her shelf of video games, Lance took Project Diva and puts it in the console.  The game starts up and Lance sat down waiting for it to load.  Pidge sat up with him and stares him down.  “You wanted to play Project Diva?”

“An anime girl was on the front.”  Lance admits.

“Oh her name is Hatsune Miku.”  Pidge said.  “She’s a real virtual idol in Japan.  Isn’t that cool?  A real life virtual idol that performs live!”  She fangirls over the idea of a man made idol.  Lance rolls his eyes and selects a song, he sucked at it.

“How do I play this?”

“Oh give.”  Pidge took the controller out of Lance’s hand.  “You play by pressing the buttons that are on the screen like X and O and things like that.  Here watch me.”  Pidge picks the extreme level on the same song Lance played and got nearly perfect on it.

“H-How did you-”

“Ta da~”  She sang.  Hunk claps for her, she bows.  “Thank you, thank you~”  Pidge hands Lance the controller and walks downstairs.  Lance and Hunk stare at eachother for a moment then go back to the game.  Hunk broke their awkward silence.

“So what did you fight about this time?”  He asks.  Lance groans and pauses the game.  The last thing he wanted to talk about was that stupid mullet guy.  He didn’t even look at Hunk when he answered.

“Same thing I guess.”

“Didn’t the principal tell you no more fighting?”  Hunk asks.  Lance continued his game.

“He starts it every time.  Whenever I get in a five foot radius of him he starts something.”  Lance said.  “I don’t know why I bother going to class if all he’s gonna do is make my senior year a living hell.  It’s only been week one and I’ve already made enemies with some random kid.”

“Not just any kid.”  Hunk added.  “The most feared one in school.”

“Yeah that wasn’t smart of me.”  Lance sighs.  Pidge runs up with two boxes of pizza, a small bag of breadsticks, and a large soda in her hands.

“Okay I’ve made Hunks night.”  She said proudly.  Hunk ran up and took the pizza from her.

“Hell yeah you did.”  The two hop back on Pidges bed and continued to watch Lance try to beat a song on Project Diva.  Later Pidge showed them Dangan Ronpa and Lance was surprised on how violent that was.  They switched to the wiiU where Pidge played Breath of the Wild for a good twenty minutes before getting tired and switching it to Smash Bros. where she destroyed both her guy friends in a matter of minutes.

“Why do I bother trying?”  Hunk asks after their twelfth match.  Pidge cheers and looks back at them both.

“Lance didn’t you say your Mom wanted you home before dark?”

“Yeah?”  He nods.  She points outside, the sun was setting.  “Aw shit.  I gotta go.”

“Where do you live?”  The two follow him downstairs.  He thought for a moment.

“Northern end.”  Lance said.  Pidge gave him a shocked look.

“You’re planning on walking all the way down there?!”

“Yeah?”  Lance nods.  She shook her head.

“This is the other end of the city!  It’ll be dark before you get there!”  Pidge took Lance’s hand and drags him to her Mom’s car.

“Mom, can you take Lance home?”  She asks.

“Sure sweetie.”  Her Mom paused what she was watching on Netflix and walked out with the two kids.

“Want us to come with?”  Pidge asked.  Lance looks at Pidge’s home again, realizing how awful his truly is.  He’d be way too embarrassed if Pidge and Hunk saw his home.  Probably laugh at him.  He shook his head and gave her a smile.

“I’m good thanks.”  He crawls into the passenger side.  “See you Monday.”

“Yeah bye.”  Pidge waves him off and walks back inside with Hunk.  The car ride with Mrs. Holt was so strange.  Neither of them spoke a word, just drove till they got to his street.  He points to turn left and asks her to stop.

“This is it.”  He said.  Mrs. Holt gave Lance a shocked look when she saw the home.  They haven’t fixed the place up at all and their yard was still mainly dead grass.  He could tell she pitied him.  Lance walks out and smiles at her.  “Thanks for the ride.”  The last thing Mrs. Holt heard was- “Sam, what did Mamá say about being on the roof?!”

* * *

Monday came around quickly, the school was filled with the living dead.  That’s the best way to describe teenagers early in the morning.  Lance walks to his locker after splitting from his brother who has found a small group himself.  He puts his bag in and started rearranging his books for the day.  His two friends came up to him.

“Hey Lance.”  Pidge said, her face had worried written all over it.

“Uh ... hi Pidge.”  Lance waves.  He goes back to his locker and began to rearrange again like his normal routine.  “What’s up?”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah?”  He grabs his books and closes his locker.  “Where is this coming from?”  He asks leaning against his locker, hugging his books close.

“My Mom said she was shocked about your living conditions… I don’t want to be rude but she told me you guys lived in a shitty place.”  Pidge said.  Lance groans and began to walk off.

“Trust me I know we live in a dump, but it’s the best we could afford.”  Lance didn’t want to go into detail about his life.  He hates to admit that his life sucks but he can’t help it.  “Let’s get going, I just got this stupid assignment done.”

“Wow you are amazing Lance.”  Pidge said sarcastically.

“Fight me Pigeon!”

* * *

The rest of the week was normal, and the week after that.  Lance was getting into a routine, which he liked since it meant nothing to surprise him.  He rearranged his books the following Monday and like usual his two friends found him.

“Hey loser.”  Pidge teases.

“Sup midget.”  He pushes her head.  “What’s up?”  He grabs his books and closes his locker.  He leaned against it like it was common to do that now.  Pidge smiles and held up her phone to show Lance something.  “What is it?”

“It’s something I just ordered!”  She said smugly.  “It’s rare amiibos for Smash Bros.!  I got WiiFit, you know how hard she is?”  Pidge asks.  “Finally found her.”  Lance looks at Hunk, who only shrugged.  

“Oh by the way Pidge, I started my file on Fire Emblem and I changed the gender of my character.”

“Why?”  Pidge asks.

“Cause I feel like the main character should marry Chrom.”  Lance said.  Pidge smiles at him with her usual dorky smile.  She bounces with excitement.

“Finally someone agrees with me!”  She said.  “See Hunk?  He agrees with me!”

“I don’t care what you say Pidge, male Robin is canon.  Don’t blame me blame the facts.”  Hunk said.  “Anyways can we stop about your nerdy game?”

“It’s not nerdy!”  Lance shouts.  “I’m tempted to by the newer game cause I’m having so much fun!”

“I freaking love you!”  Pidge shouts.  The two hug, Lance picked up the small girl and spins her in a circle.  Hunk filmed it again.

“You two are like dumb siblings.”  Hunk said.  Lance put Pidge on his shoulders and they ran to class like that.

* * *

Lance walks to literacy alone like usual, he waves at Sam and kept walking.  He sat down and noticed something unusual.  Keith wasn’t there.  Lance was about to celebrate in his seat he was so happy.  No fighting today!

Mrs. Boston walks in and took attendance.  She looks up at her class.

“Has anyone seen Kogane?  He’s here today…”  She asks.  Everyone shrugs.  Mrs. Boston brushes it off and walks to the front.  “He’s absent then.”  She began the lesson.

The class was reading “The Curious Case of the Dog in the Nighttime”  Lance wasn’t to interested because reading was always a struggle for him.  His leg was bouncing from not being able to keep up, he had to run, he had to jump.  Anything to calm him down.

“Mrs. Boston?”  Lance quickly raises his hand.  “Can I go to the bathroom real quick?”

“Yes Lance, but be quick.”

“Thanks.”  Lance walks out quietly and decided to wander the hallway.  He had so much energy that he had to get rid of.  Lance continued to walk down a long hallway where the special needs kids stay.  It was pretty quiet down that hallway so he felt calmer and more at peace.  Until a certain someone came out of the printing room.  Lance didn’t even notice, nor did the other kid.  Both collided, the kid fell.

“Oh, oh I am so sorry I ju- oh…”  Lance stares at the kid on the floor.  “Nevermind, what are you doing here?”

“Mind your own business twitchy leg.”  Keith growls.

“Oh good job, make fun of me for that.  Making fun of the ill is a great trait.”  Lance saw Keith dropped a few papers, Lance felt nice and picked them up.  Keith panicked and ran at him, it was too late.

“P-Put those down!”  He squeaks.  Lance gives him a look.

“I’m trying to be nice, unlike you.  Hm?”  Lance looks down at the paper, he noticed a lot of questions and answers.  “You’re… you’re cheating!”  Lance shouts.  “What is wrong with you?!”

“I SAID PUT THEM DOWN!”

“No.  I’m reporting you!”  Lance shouts holding the papers close.  “You can’t do this!  What would your family think?”

“SHUT UP!  GO BE “MAMA’S LITTLE ANGEL” SOMEWHERE ELSE!”  Keith tries grabbing it, Lance held it above his head.

“No, and don’t bring mi Mamá into this!”  Lance said.  Keith stared at him, then chuckled.

“Heh “Mi Mamá”?”  Keith began to laugh, a cruel laugh.  “Are you a Mamá’s boy?”  He teases, Lance felt embarrassed.

“S-So what?  I love her a lot, I love her enough to not cheat!”  Lance shouts.  “Forget you I’m turning these into the office.”  Lance storms off.  Keith didn’t let up.

“Can see why you’re a Mamá’s boy, your Dad is doing a shit job raising you!  Acting like a Mom already~”  Lance stopped.  “What’s wrong, did I say something I shouldn’t have?”  He asks.

Lance glares at him.  Keith smirks, he knew he got him.

“Your shit family must be doing great with Señora McClain around!  Is she a cleaning lady?”  Keith teases.  Lance flinched at that, that got the Korean to laugh.  “Oh I’m right aren’t I, how fucking cliche!”  Keith laughs harder.  Lance felt anger boil up.  “Is she some fat lady who spends her days cle-”  Lance punched Keith hard in the face, knocking him down.

“ _¡No se atreven hacer diversión de mi Mamá!_ ”  Lance shouts.  Keith glares at him, he grabs Lance and forces him down.

“FUCKING MEXICAN FREAK!”  Keith fought Lance to the ground, Lance kicks him off with a powerful kick to the stomach.

“NOT MEXICAN YOU JERK!”  Lance shouts.  The two kept fighting till two of the special ed teachers ran out and separated the two, one male and one an older female.  The male held Keith back while the older women held Lance back.  The two didn’t look to pleased with them.

* * *

“You fought in the hallway?”  The principal asks.  The two teachers were behind them both, glaring at the two.  “Not surprising, Kogane your nose is bleeding.”

“No fucking shit.”  Keith growls.

“Jesus what was going through your heads?”

“He made fun of mi Mamá.”  Lance said coldly.

“Get over it.”  Keith growls.  “Not my fault you’re a Mamá’s boy.”  The principal groans and put his head in his hands.

“Oh for christ's sake, Keith you don’t make fun of someone’s family like that.”  The principal said.  “And Lance you don’t punch people.”

“But he-”

“No buts, I called your homes earlier to tell them that you’re both staying after today.  I don’t want any complaining, got it?”  The principal asks.  The two stayed silent, glaring at one another.  “You two?”  Lance didn’t want to stay, and he wasn’t at fault.  Or he thought he wasn’t at fault.  So he shouldn’t be punished for punching Keith.  

Everything froze when they all heard loud heels clicking in the hallway.  Lance was the only one who flinched, how those heels sounded.  Full of sass and anger, he knew only one person who walks like that.

“Oh no…”  He mumbles.  The door flung open.  Almost everyone turned.  Lance closed his eyes tight hoping it was over in a minute.

“ _¡Dime lo que está sucediendo ahora! Mi hermano no es permanecer en este de mierda escuela debido a ese mocoso, te juro que lo que mato Keith lo consigue en apuro! Estoy harto de Lance no se siente seguro por este puto mocoso que constantemente le es bullying! ¡Quiero respuestas ahora!_ ”  Wrath of Rebecca, she was out of her cage and ready to attack.  Lance flinched at every word, worse of all no one could understand her… well that’s a good thing but Lance felt a little uncomfortable.  Rebecca notices the kid next to Lance.  “ _¡Usted! Eres Keith!_ ”  She shouts.

Keith curled up in his seat, he was scared beyond belief.  She got in his face, Keith noticed behind her black hair were vibrant blue eyes.  He looks at Lance.

“Is this your sister?”  He whines.

“Hell yes I’m his sister!”  Rebecca shouts.  “You want me to fucking speak English, cause being bilingual is so fucking funny to you!  What did you do this time?”

“Ah!”  Keith backed away from her, she walks towards the side he was curled up on.  Keith actually clung to Lance to avoid Rebecca.

“You let Lance go right now or I swear I wi-”

“Miss McClain?”  The principal got her attention.  “Would you like a seat?”

“Oh, gladly.”  She grabs a chair and pushes Keith’s chair away from Lance’s and sat in between them.  She glares at Keith then back at the principal.

“Now Mis-”

“Call me Rebecca.”  She said.

“Okay, Rebecca you’re brother punched Keith.  He started the fight this time.  As you can see, Keith’s nose is bleeding.”

“Good.”  Rebecca said.  “This brat has been bullying Lance since they met.”

“Was not!”

“What was that?”  She shot Keith a look, the poor boy jumps into his chair.  Rebecca backs off a bit.  “That’s what I thought, _zorra._ ”

“Rebecca…”  Lance whines.  “Listen I’ll take the detention so can we end this?”

“No!”  Rebecca shouts.  “What did Lance do?”

“Punch me.”  Keith growls.  Rebecca didn’t say anything, but her look said a thousand words.  The principal sighs and spoke up.

“Um… Keith was making fun of Lance’s Mother an-”

“YOU MAKING FUN OF MI MAMA?!”  Rebecca shouts.  Keith screams and ran out of his seat and used Lance as a shield.  “WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT MI MAMA?!”  Lance got up to calm down his sister, Keith clinging to his back to avoid her.

“Rebecca go home, I’ll take the detention.  Okay?”  He said sweetly.  Rebecca looks at her brother’s caring eyes.  She sighs and gave him a small smile.

“Alright, come home as soon as you get done.”  She said.  Rebecca walks out, giving Keith a final glare, the poor boy was practically shaking.  Lance looks at the principal.

“How long do I stay after?”

* * *

The two sat in a small room full of motivational pictures and desks.  It was pretty dark and kind of uncomfortable.  The principal looks at the two and points at the clock.

“You’ll be out in two hours.  Until then do homework, read, or do something.  Just no fighting.”  He said.  “You boys got it?”

“Yes sir.”  Lance nods.  The principal walks out.  Lance took a notebook out and began to doodle, he wasn’t a good drawer but he was bored and didn’t want to do homework.  Keith pulls out a book and began to read.  Thirty minutes passed and Keith became annoyed at Lance for his leg.

“Seriously, stop that!”

“Huh?”  Lance looks up from his doodle.

“You’re fucking leg!  Just stop!”

“Don’t talk to me if you’re going to fight again.”  Lance said.  “I don’t want to fight and get more detention.”  Lance said.  He continued to draw, Keith tried to ignore it and go back to reading, that didn’t last.

“Please stop, I’m asking nicely!”  He whines.  Lance looks at him.

“I can’t, I’m sorry but I can’t stop.”  Lance said.  “It’s something I can’t control.”  Lance went back to drawing again, he noticed the page was filled.  He looks at Keith.  “Soooo what are you reading?  Is it for class?”

“No… it’s a book I found at the public library.”  Keith said coldly.

“What’s it about?”  Lance asks.  Keith looks at him then back at the book.

“A warrior off to kill some dragon and claim the throne.  It’s kind of interesting.”  Keith admits.  “But there’s no title.”  He shows the cover of a man with white hair walking in a purple cave.  Lance was distracted by how thick it was, he could never read that.

“Do you read a lot?”  Lance asks.  Keith nods, kind of warming up.

“Yeah, I don’t like TV much.”

“You don’t?”  Lance laughs, it was warm and friendly.  “I love TV, watch it all the time.”  He said.

“I hate what’s on… I love the places books take you.  You read one and it’s your own adventure.  And it’s always available.”  Keith smiles at the book.  Lance looks at the book then back at him.

“I hate reading, just because I’m no good at it.  Everytime I tried reading when I was little I would get bored and walk out into the hallway… I was allowed to do that though.”

“Why?”  Keith asked.

“It calms me down.  That’s why I was walking by when I saw you.  I had to calm down so I was walking.”  Lance admits, he remembers why Keith was there.  “Why did you have test answers?”

“It was for math.  I suck at math, I’m in a beginners class and I’m doing horrible.  My teacher gave us a study guide but I’m having a hard time with it.  I wanted to pass and get it over with.”  Keith said.  Lance held his hand out.  “What?”

“Let me see your study guide.”  Lance said.  Keith nods and hands him his blank study guide.  Lance looks at the problems and writes down answers.  Lance hands it back to Keith.  “There you go, problem solved.”

“You…”

“I’m horrible at reading but I’m good at math.”  Lance said.  “Well I’m average.  But I know what you’re doing.  Just study that and you’ll do fine.”  Lance smiles at Keith.  “Also… I’m sorry about punching you, I overreacted.”  Keith was shocked.

“Oh no no no!  I should apologize, I shouldn’t have made fun of your Mom.”  Keith looks down.  “You don’t have your Dad do you…”

“Divorce.”  Lance said.  “She’s taking care of my four siblings and I.”  He curls his hands on his pants, looking away from Keith.

“Ah… your Mom must be so cool.  I could never do that.”  Keith said.  “Like, pretty amazing.  I shouldn’t have made fun of her.”  Keith thought for a moment.  “Can you tell your sister I said that, so she doesn’t try to kill me?”

“Sure.”  Lance chuckles.  “I’m so sorry about her, she’s a little protective of me.”

“A little?  That’s what you call a little?”  Keith and Lance both laugh.  “I don’t know what your definition of a little is but that my good sir was not a little!”

“I-I’m so sorry.”  Lance tried to control his laughter.

“You’d better be, I was sure she was going to kill me!”  The two began to calm down, they didn’t notice the principal smiling at them.  They look over at him and quickly became embarrassed.

“I could hear you two from across the hallway.”  He said.  “Seems like you guys were having fun.”  He points at the clock.  “You guys were suppose to be out ten minutes ago.”

“Oh really?”  Lance asks.  “Cool.”  The two got up and said goodbye to their principal.  Keith looks at Lance and smiles.

“H-Hey if you ever need help with literacy I can help you.  As long as this means you help me with math.”  He said.  Lance nods.

“Sure.”

“T-This doesn’t make us friends… only… um allies!”

“Allies?  That’s the best you can come up with?”

“Well we’re not friends, but we’re working together.  So if you do need help…”  Keith looks down with a sweet smile.  “Um… you know where to find me…”

“Sure.”  Lance nods.  Keith looks up at him, his violet eyes looked more pleasant.  

“Cool… cool.”  He said.  Lance chuckles on how awkward Keith was being.  The two notice a man standing outside of a car.  He looks up and waves.

“Keith over here!”

“Coming Takashi!”  Keith yells back.  “Gotta go, I’ll … I’ll see you later I guess.”  He ran towards the man and talked to him for a second, the man who was named Takashi looks over at Lance with a warm smile.  Lance looks away, a little embarrassed by the new guy staring at him and walks home.

* * *

Lance walks in and saw Rebecca run towards him and hugs him.  Lance felt the air leave his lungs.

“Re-Rebecca, can’t… breath!”

“Sorry.”  She lets go.  “Are you okay?  You’re not hurt are you?”  She kept asking.  Lance laughs.

“I’m fine I’m fine.  Just a little tired is all.”  Lance said.  “I’m gonna go lay down.”

“Not so fast.”  Rebecca stops him.  “Sarah wants all of us to have a spa day while Mamá is at work.”  She points at Sarah.  Her red hair was up in a bun, she held up all of Lance’s and Rebecca’s skin care supplies.  Lance smiles and grabs Sarahs hands.

“That sounds great Sarah.”  He said.  “I’ll go get changed.  Sam come down here, we’re having a spa day!”

“Hell no, keep your gay ass skin products away from me.”  Sam shouts from upstairs.  Lance smirks at his sisters.

“I’ll get him.”  He charges upstairs.  “Samuel~”

“Stay away from me Lance!”  Sam shouts, the two sisters giggle as they heard the boys fighting each other upstairs.


	4. The Issue with Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I lied. This is a quick update but I had a lot of freetime this week (next week will be hell). So have fun and I might update soon.

Lance was trying to apply skin cream on Sam’s face.  His brother kept flinching at the cold cream touching him.  Lance sighs.

“Sam stay still.”

“This is so stupid.”  Sam said.  The two boys look over at Sarah and Rebecca who were applying it to Rico.  The poor toddler didn’t know what was going on.  Lance got the rest of Sam’s face and smiles.

“Nice.”  Lance said.  “Now don’t touch it, otherwise you’ll ruin it.”  Lance warned.  Sam rolls his eyes and pouts on the floor.  Lance crawls over to his sisters to see what was up.  

“Rico is so good.”  Rebecca said.  “Look at him, letting us apply the cream on his face.  Unlike a certain someone.”

“That should count as child abuse.”  Sam grumbles.  The others laugh at him, Sam groans and leans against the couch.  Rebecca got up and ran to the kitchen.  She calls back to the others.

“Who wants Rebecca’s drink she stole from the internet?”  She says.  All the kids raise their hands in joy.  Rebecca runs into the kitchen and began to make an elixir.  Lance turns the TV on and ran to find something to watch.

“Sarah, what do you want to watch?”

“Snow White!”  His sister calls.  Sam groans again.

“Not again.”  He whines.  Lance laughs and ran to get the dvd.  He comes down when Rebecca was done with drinks and snacks.  Rebecca pre made pigs in a blanket and watermelon cucumber elixirs.  The five kids sat together and turned the movie on.  All relaxing and eating.

After the movie was over the kids wiped the cream off their faces and added something for the night.  They all went to bed after that.

* * *

“Rebecca?”  Lance walks downstairs to see his sister awake watching her show.  He sat next to her and waits for commercials.  As soon as the break started.

“So how was detention?  Was that boy any trouble?”

“Oh no, quite the opposite.  He apologized to me.”  Lance said.  “And he takes back everything he said about Mamá.”  Lance could see Rebecca with unconvinced eyes.  Lance shook her.  “ _¡Hermana, él es un buen tipo!_ ”

“No, I am not believing that.”  Rebecca crosses her arms.  “You can’t be friends after one day knowing him.”

“We’re not friends… only “allies”.”  Lance said happily.  Rebecca groans, she looks at her sweet brother and pats his head.  

“Sweetie, I don’t like him.  Not one bit.”  She sighs.  “It’ll take a miracle for me to like him.”

* * *

The next day Lance came in and arranged his books like usual, he was almost done till a small girl came in and slams him into his locker.  Lance looks at Pidge, who was not too happy with her friend.

“What is wrong with you?!”  She shouts.  “Getting detention like that!”

“It’s fine, I served it.  And you could’ve messed me up.”  Lance growls and began to rearrange his books again.  Pidge rolls her eyes and waits for Lance to get done so she can get a proper answer.  “Where’s Hunk?”

“Appointment.  Now tell me what happened!”  She demands.  Lance sighs and closes his locker.

“I punched Keith and we-”

“Hold on, WHAT?!”  She freaks out.

“He made fun of mi Mamá.”  Lance said.  “So I punched him.  But it’s okay now.”

“No no it’s not okay!”  Pidge pushes her friend.  “You know how dangerous that kid is, you shouldn’t fight him.

“You’re too concerned.”  Lance walks off, Pidge follows him.

“You can’t avoid me McClain, I have first and second hour with you!  You cannot avoid me!  GET BACK HERE!”

* * *

Lance rushes to literacy to avoid his small friend who was still looking for an answer.  It was over and done with so he didn’t want to talk about it anymore.  He sits down and waits for class to start.  Lance felt someone tap his shoulder moments later, he looks up quickly and startled Keith.

“Woah, what is it?”  Lance asks.  Keith held out the study guild.

“Well…”  He starts.  “I-I don’t understand number eight on this so…”  Lance chuckles and took it out of Keiths hands.  

“Oh this is easy.”  Lance starts.  “You have to make the percent a decimal.  So all you do is this.”  Lance made an arrow go two spaces back.  “See?”

“Oh I get it now!”  Keith said happily.  He took it back and smiles.  “Thanks.”  He walks back to his desk.  Lance was surprised how different Keith was when it came to their agreement.

Lance saw their teacher walk in and class began.  Mrs. Boston hands out an assignment for an upcoming quiz.  Lance groans cause he’s so far behind on it.  The whole class was working on the study guide while Lance sat in his desk confused.

He began to fidget because he had nothing to do and was confused on the assignment.  After class he got nothing done.  Lance hit his head against his desk and got up to go to his next class.

* * *

“Oh Hunk, when did you get back?”  Lance asks.

“Just recently.  I told Pidge this yesterday and I’m so happy about it.”  Hunk said.  “I got moved to a higher math class so I don’t have to be in that beginners class anymore.  No more sitting next to Kogane!”

“Algebra is for beginners?”  Lance asks.

“Yeah, sadly.”  Hunk said.  “I was put in there by accident so I had to wait to change my schedule.”  Hunk said.  “So anything new with you?”

“Oh yeah, I wa-”

“THERE YOU ARE!”  Pidge yells.  “Tell me what happened in there McClain!”

“I had detention and I did homework.”  Lance said.

“That’s what you keep saying but I know it’s bullshit.”  She snaps.  “I’m smart!  Do you think I skipped two grades because I was pretty?”

“Trust me I didn’t think that.”  Lance teases.  Pidge punches his arm.

“Dick.”  She took some of Hunks food and ate it begrudgingly.

“Okay I didn’t do anything to you, but go ahead and take my food.  Not like I wanted it or anything…”  Hunk commented.  Lance chuckles and continued to eat his own food.  Pidge stared him down, waiting for him to cave in.

* * *

Gym was the same thing.  Lance had peace when they had to go change, Hunk wasn’t that much better than Pidge though.

“So what did you do to get into detention?”  Hunk asks.  Lance hit his head against his locker and glares at the bigger boy.

“I punched Keith, can we drop it?”

“WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!  ARE YOU ASKING TO DIE OR SOMETHING?!”

“No need to yell Hunk.”  Lance covered his ears.  “This is over and done with, can’t you and Pidge drop it?”  Lance left the changing rooms and was met up with Pidge.  Who grips to his back and refused to let go.  “PIDGE YOU LEECH LET ME GO!”  

“NEVER!”  The two looked like the biggest dorks in class.

* * *

“Why did we change for this?”  Lance asks holding a ping pong paddle.  Pidge and Hunk shrug and began to play.  “Okay this is unfair, why is it two against one?”

“Cause you have long arms so you can reach better.”  Pidge said.

“I have shit reflexes though.”

“Sucks to be you.”

“You’re just salty cause I’m not telling you what happened during detention.”  Lance pouts.  Pidge smirks at him.  Coach walks up to the group with Keith, Pidge and Hunk flinch seeing him.

“Can you guys group up with Keith?”  He asks.  Pidge and Hunk look at eachother then back at Coach.  They didn’t know what to do.

“Sure.”  Lance said.  “We can take him.”  Pidge and Hunk silently scream at him.  Coach smiles at Lance.

“Thanks you guys, okay Keith here you go.”  Keith walks over and stood silently.  Pidge and Hunk go to the other side and began a match.  It went towards Keith, he hit it too hard and it flew off the table and onto the floor.  Hunk chased after it.

“Um… Keith?”  Pidge starts.  “Y-You know it’s suppose to stay on the table, it’s called ping pong not tennis.”  She tries to chuckle it off.  Keith raised an eyebrow at her.

“I know it’s ping pong.”  He said.

“Well ping pong is also called table tennis so I could see how you’d mess it u-”

“I know that.”  Keith said.  Pidge chuckles and rubs the back of her head.

“Oh I-I know that, it’s only a joke.  I thought since you were really smart you’d see it was a jo-”

“Are you calling me an idiot?”  Keith asks.

“No no not at all, Lance is a bigger idiot then you are.”  She said.

“Ow I’m right here.”  Lance whines.

“Whatever Holt.”  Keith crosses his arms and waits for Hunk to come back with the ball.  He runs up happily and hits it towards Lance, Lance hit it back towards Pidge, she hits it to Keith, who watched it go by.

Lance walks after it.

“Uh Keith?”  Pidge spoke up.  “You were suppose to hit it.”

“It went off the table, I couldn’t hit it.”  Keith said.  Pidge tried to explain again while Hunk looks over at Lance who was staring at the bleachers like they were the most interesting thing he’d ever seen.  

“Uh Lance, what are you doing?”  Hunk asks.  Lance looks back at Hunk, he points at the bleachers with his paddle.

“It went under the bleachers.”  He said.

“Then reach under and grab it.  You’re tall and skinny so you can reach it.”  Pidge said with no hesitation.  Lance groans, he didn’t want to get it.  He’d rather stare at the bleachers and wait for it to magically come out on it’s own.

Keith walks up to Lance and stares at him then at the bleachers.  They stood for a few moments before Keith spoke up.

“It isn’t going to come out on it’s own, no matter how much you stare at it.”  He said.  Lance sighs and goes on his knees.  He reached under the bleachers and tried to feel for the ping pong ball.  Keith got down and helped Lance.

“Find anything?”  Lance asks.

“No.  I feel dirt and dust and…”  He pulls his hand back.  “Okay I touched something slimy, ew ew ew!”  Keith shook his hand in disgust.

“Heh… come on Keith it’s only-”

“Ew I think it’s old ketchup.  Oh my God I’m gonna throw up!”  Keith got up and ran to the boys locker room.  Lance chuckles and continued his search.  He kept reaching farther and couldn’t find it.  He was starting to feel frustrated but he wouldn’t give up, it was like a challenge that he had to win.  Keith walks back and looks at Lance who was flat on his stomach trying to reach.

“I think you should give up.”

“I think you should help me!”  Lance said still struggling to reach.

“I touched something nasty so no.  I refuse to help after that.  Also I’m shorter than you.”  Keith said.  Lance kept trying to reach it.  Pidge and Hunk walk towards them and watch.

“Lance, give up.”  Pidge said.

“I already told him that.”  Keith said.  “He’s stubborn.”  Keith got on his knees and pokes Lance’s back.  “Pidge told you to stop.”  Lance didn’t listen, Keith got annoyed and dragged Lance out by his legs.

“Noooo!”  Lance tried crawling back.

“Give up Lance, we’ll just get a new one.”  Keith said.  Lance got up and cracked his back, that was not comfortable at all.  Pidge came back with a new ball, the group played again.  

* * *

Hunk pulls his shirt over his head and sighs.

“Worst game of ping pong ever.”

“You won anyways, how was that the worst game ever?”  Lance asks.

“You and Keith suck at ping pong… actually you suck and he wasn’t trying.”  Hunk said.  Lance rolls his eyes and took his clothes out of the locker.

“Shut up, ping pong is not my thing.”  Lance said.  “If it were any other sport then I’d be good at it.”

“I have a feeling that you’re lying but whatever.”

“So mean.”  Lance comments.  Lance felt someone tap his shoulder, by now he knows who it is.  “Yeah Keith?”  Lance asks.  Keith had his hands behind his back, he looks at Lance for a moment then hands him a folded piece of paper and ran off.  Hunk looked shocked at what happened.

“W-What was that?!”  He asks.  Lance looks at the folded paper for a moment.  “Did he give you a note or something, like what the hell?!”  Lance ignored Hunk and opened it, Lance’s eyes went wide.

“He’s keeping his side of it.”  Lance mumbles.  He was holding the study guide from literacy.  Lance smiles and walked out with it.

“What was it Lance?  Lance don’t ignore me!”  Hunk chased after him.

* * *

Lance copied everything down on the study guide, Keith had such pretty handwriting that was easy to read.  Lance leans back on his bed and stares at the bunk above him, lost in thought.  His thoughts came to a halt when he heard someone knock on his door, he knew Sam was asleep on his bunk so it wasn’t him.  Lance opens it to see Sarah staring at him with big eyes.

“ _¿Qué es Sarah?_ ”  Lance got on her level.  She looks at him, her brown eyes looked so confused.

“Lance, a boy in my class said I was his girlfriend.”  She said.  Lance pretended to be shocked.

“What?”

“Yeah, and I said I wasn’t but he didn’t care and said I had to be his girlfriend.  I don’t want to be with him, he’s icky.”  Sarah spat.

“Are boys icky Sarah?”  Lance asks.

“Yes, you, Sam and Rico aren’t but all the other boys are.  Icky full of germs!”

“I don’t think boys are icky.”  Lance chuckles.

“You are a boy though, girls are icky to you.”  Sarah points out.  Lance laughs again and pats her head.

“No I don’t think girls are icky either.”  He said.  Sarah was confused.

“Lance I don’t get it, what do you find icky?”

“Um…”  Lance thought.  “I find spiders icky.”  Lance picks his sister up and walks downstairs with her.  “Why is this boy icky?  Besides being full of germs?”

“He’s just icky… boys are icky.  I won’t be with boys ever.”  She pouts.  Lance only laughs.

“How are you gonna be a mamá?”  Lance asks.  “You need a husband to be a mamá.”  He said.

“Is Rebecca gonna be a mamá?”  Sarah asks.  Lance knew the small girl looked up to her sister, it only made sense.  Sarah and Rebecca are the only girls besides Mamá so of course she’d look up to her.

“ _Sí, creo que ella sería la mejor mamá._ ”  Lance said.  Sarah nods agreeing with her brother.

“She would be!  I can’t wait for Rebecca to become a mamá.”  Sarah cuddles into her older brother.  Lance chuckles and nods.

“I can’t wait either.”

“And you’ll be a papá someday, right Lance?”  Sarah asks.  Lance thought for a moment then shrugs.

“I don’t know sweetie.”  Lance said.  “How about you?”

“I’m gonna be a mamá!”  Sarah said.

“Then you’re gonna have to like icky boys.”  He teases.  Sarah made a face and ran off.

“No I refuse!   _¡No muchachos!_ ”  Sarah shouts as she ran.  Lance only laughs at her as she runs upstairs, passing a confused Rebecca.  She looks at her younger brother who was still laughing.

“What has gotten into Sarah?”  She asks.

“Oh a boy likes her and she says boys are icky.”  Lance said.  “Her brothers don’t count though.”

“So you, Sam, Rico, and Antonio don’t count?”

“She didn’t mention Antonio.”  Lance said.  Rebecca sighs and sat on the couch, she pats the spot next to her calling Lance to come sit so they could chat.  Lance walks towards Rebecca and sat with her.

“So Sarah hates boys.”  She said.

“I told her boys weren’t icky and she told me that since I’m a boy I think girls are icky.”  Lance said, that got Rebecca to laugh.

“Oh boy she still doesn’t get it.  You even explained it to her and she still doesn’t get it!”  Rebecca said.  Lance nods and laughs with her.

“She’s so cute though.  I love her to death.”

“I love all of you guys.”  Rebecca hugs her brother.  “All of you are so precious to me.”  She said happily.  

“I’m precious to you, even though I’m a head taller than you?”  Lance teases.  Rebecca pushes him away.

“Hey now, I remember when Antonio and I had to help with your monsters under your bed thing.”

“They’re real!”  Lance argues.  “What else would’ve went under my bed?”

“Our cat?  Our two dogs?  We had animals in the house Lance!”  Rebecca said.  “Have we been in this place for so long that you forgot our old place?”  She teases.  Lance looks up at the ceiling with a faint smile on his face.

“Kind of…”  He admits.  “I love it here, this city, the school I go to, the friends I’ve met, and I even love this house.”  Lance said.

He wasn’t lying, it’s almost been two months and the cuban grew to love the city he use to despise.  Lance would even go far to call it his home.  Even if his house looked like shit it was his house, somewhere he feels safe and comfortable.  Also his family that he loves was there with him, living under the same roof happily.  

He leans against Rebecca and smiles.

“What I love most is that we’re all here together.”  He said.  Rebecca felt her heart flutter a bit.  She let’s Lance rest on her shoulder for the time being.

“ _Eres un sap Lance._ ”  She said before he fell asleep.

* * *

Lance woke up late during the weekend and saw almost everyone else was awake, except for Sam.  Rebecca was getting ready for work while his Mom was cooking breakfast.  Lance walks in and hugs his Mom from behind.

“ _Buenos días Mamá_.”  Lance said.  She looks at her son and smiles.

“Oh _buenos días Lance._ ”  She said back.  Lance walks towards the fridge and pulls his medication down.

“So what are you doing today?”  He asks.

“Oh nothing, I hope to sit down today and relax.”  She said.  Lance nods while trying to get a pill out, he looks down at his bottle.  Nothing coming out.

“Uh…”  Lance kept trying.  His Mom looks at him and caught on.

“Lance it’s empty.”  She said.  “Stop trying to get something out of it when there is nothing.”  She took the bottle from him, he clearly wasn’t stopping.

“Mamá I can’t go a day without taking it, it’ll cause headaches and takes a while to kick in…”  Lance whines.  She nods and grabs her keys.

“Rebecca I have to go, refill Lance’s medication, do you need anything?”  She asks her daughter.

“No.”

“Okay tell Samuel that we’ll be back, unless you leave before then… which case leave a note.”  She said to her daughter.  Rebecca nods and goes back to her phone.  “Okay come on you three! _¡Apresúrese, venga a ahora!_ ”  Their Mom shouts at the others.  Lance picks Rico up and runs out with Sarah following behind.

Lance opens the back and buckles his two year old in while Sarah was trying to buckle herself in.  After Lance got Rico in he walks to the passenger side and buckles up.  His Mom walks out and drove out of the driveway.  Well they had a dirt patch that they called a driveway.  

* * *

The four went to the closest place to try to refill, Lance’s Mom was trying to get it refilled without any issues.  There was an issue, so Lance left his Mom alone while taking Sarah and Rico.  The three walked around the small store where there were cheap toys that the two messed with while Lance looked at his phone.  He could hear his Mom cursing at the people behind the counter in spanish, he hopes that no one understood her.

Sarah and Rico ran off while Lance wasn’t looking, the two thought it would be funny to hide from him.  Lance looks up and called for them.  
“ _¿Sarah? ¿Rico? ¿Dónde estás?_ ”  Lance calls.  “Come on you two, this isn’t funny.”  Lance grew frustrated.  “Sarah, Rico!”  He heard the two giggle.

“ _¡Ustedes dos mejor ven aquí ahora mismo!_  I’m not playing games!”  Lance shouts.  “I will get Mamá!”  That got the two out.  They ran to Lance and clung to his legs, he gave a bored look to the two.

“ _¡Lance lo siento!_ ”  Sarah said trying not to panic.

“ _¡Lo siento!_ ”  Rico copies.  Lance ignores them and walks back to their Mom, who was now grabbing her purse in anger and digging for her car keys.

“Any luck?”  He asks.

“No, I need to go to the hospital and get a copy of your prescription.”  She growls.  “You three stay here.  You two be good for your brother, got it?”  Their Mom points at the younger two.  They nod and clung to Lance’s legs again.  She walks out.

Lance goes back to the area with toys and sat on the ground with his siblings.  He got a text from Sam who was wondering where the hell everyone went.  Lance groans and ignores him.  Rico and Sarah played with a ball on the ground and rolled it back and forth.  Lance joined in and the three played to most simple game on the planet while waiting for their Mom to come back.

“Lance?”  The cuban looks up at the familiar voice, Keith was looking down with a confused face.  “What are you doing on the ground?”

“What does it look like?”  Lance asks.  His siblings stare at Keith for a bit, Rico crawls to Lance, scared of the new person in his presence.  “It’s okay Rico.”  He reassures his baby brother, who was still skeptical of Keith.  

Sarah walks up to Keith and walked around him, Keith was a little uncomfortable.  She smiles at him, she seemed excited about something.

“You’re so pretty!”  She squeals.  “ _¡Eres una princesa de la vida real!_ ”  Sarah points at him.  Keith gave her a confused look.

“Uh… prin-whata?”  He asks.  Sarah giggles and kept staring at him.  Lance got up, still holding Rico.

“Sarah said you’re a real life princess.”  Lance translated.  Keith looks at Sarah who was still giggling.

“Uh… I’m a boy.”  Keith said.

“I know~”  She sings.  Keith looks back at Lance, he only shrugs as to say he can’t control it.

“Sarah, Rico this is my classmate Keith.”  Lance said to his siblings.  “Say hi.”

“Hi!”  Sarah said happily, Rico hid in Lance’s shoulder.

“He’s shy.”  Lance said to Keith.  Keith nods understanding the child’s behavior, Rico’s reaction was normal… not Sarah’s.  She grabs Keiths hand and clung to him.  Keith didn’t know what to do, he froze at the little girls touch.  Lance tried to make it less awkward.

“Uh… so Keith these are my other siblings, this is Rico.  And the little girl who is attached to you is Sarah.”  He introduced his siblings to Keith.

“Cool, Sarah can you let go?”  Keith asks.

“No, I want to stay next to the pretty princess!”  She said.  Keith looked to Lance, his face screaming ‘please help me’.  Lance shrugs not knowing what to do.  Sarah was weird, he couldn’t control the eight year old.  

“Question, how many siblings do you have?”  Keith asks.

“Four, well counting me five.”  Lance said, he was having a harder time talking and focusing since he hasn’t taken anything.  He started swaying and bouncing Rico a bit.  Keith somehow noticed it.

“You okay?”  Keith asks.  Lance nods, trying to occupy his body with something.

“Lance hasn’t taken his meds so he’s jumpy.”  Sarah said.  Keith looks back at Lance, who was a little embarrassed.  Sarah looks at Lance thinking she did nothing wrong.

“Medication?”  Keith asks.

“Uh… it’s nothing.”  Lance said.

“Lance is jumpy.  He can’t sit still.”  Sarah kept talking.  Keith looks at Lance, he could tell Lance was restless.  He couldn’t stop moving.

“Do you have something?”  Keith asks.

“No, I don’t.”  Lance said.  He heard his Mom walk back in, Keith looks at her walking in.  He points at her while staring at Lance.  Lance nods and walks up to his Mom.

“Did you get it Mamá?”  Lance asks.

“Yes, now-”  She notices Keith.  “Oh hello.   _¿Quién eres?_ ”  She asks.  Keith stares at her, he looks down not knowing what to say.  “Are you a friend of Lance’s?”  She asks.

“Um… I…”

“Yeah.”  Lance jumps in.  “This is Keith.”  Lance pats Keith’s shoulder.

“Oh nice to meet you Keith.”  She said.  Keith looks away again.

“Y-Yeah.”  He mumbles.  Lance’s Mom looks up at her son.

“ _Una tímida._ ”  She giggles.  Lance nods.

“Yes, very.”  Lance said.  “Sarah let go of him.”  His sister was still clinging to him like glue.  She stuck her tongue out and clung to Keith.

“No!”

“Sarah, I don’t think Keith is comfortable.”  Lance said.  She looks up at Keith, her brown eyes full of joy.

“ _Keith, ¿es cómodo conmigo?_ ”  Sarah asks.  Keith looks at Lance for a moment then back at Sarah.  He answered not knowing what the heck she just said.

“Uh yeah?”

“Yay!”  She hugs him.  Keith looked terrified.  Lance began to laugh at Keith.

“W-What?!”

“You’re comfortable with her, seriously?  You don’t look it!”

“I-I didn’t know what she said!”  Keith grumbles.

“I know, it makes this situation funnier.”  Lance said.  Keith glares at Lance, it’s happened so many times that Lance didn’t even flinch.  Instead he laughed harder.  Keith felt embarrassed and gripped the little girl’s hand tightly.  Sarah smiles and cuddles into his arm.

“Sarah let the poor boy go.”  Her Mom pats her head.  She pouts and lets go of Keith.  “I’m sorry about her, she must’ve taken a liking to you.”  She stares at Keith for a moment.  “You are quite a pretty boy.  I’ve never seen eyes so beautiful before.”  She said.  Keith blushes and looks down.

“Um…”  He didn’t know what to say.  Lance’s Mom laughs and hands Lance his medication.

“Here you go Lance.”  Lance hands Rico to his Mom.  He opens it and swallows it without any trouble.  Keith took the bottle and read it.

“Hey!  Give it back.”  Lance took it back.

“Why do you need that?”  Keith asks.

“I said-”  Lance was interrupted by his Mom.

“Oh it’s Lance’s ADHD medication, nothing special.”  She walks out.  “Come on Lance, Sarah.”  She calls to her kids, the two walk out.  Lance was beyond embarrassed.  She looks at Keith one more time.  “It’s nice to meet you Keith, you have a good day okay?”  She smiles sweetly.

Keith felt sick looking at her, he nods and watches her walking out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I drew Lance's siblings  
> [](http://s1302.photobucket.com/user/QuietScythe/media/tumblr_inline_op0782o9U31s7eojv_1280_zpspidqqvdi.png.html)  
> I might draw more for this fanfic but maybe later.


	5. Allies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn I am so tired. Note to self do not stay up till four am then wake up at nine. Also smart move on my part, spend sixty bucks on two lions I couldn't find in stores. Yellow and Red better get here soon :(  
> Well see you guys next time.

Rebecca walks in after work and flops on the couch.  Lance walks up to her sister and sat next to her.

“Rough day?”  Lance asks.

“Oh God, someone threw up in the hallway and I had to clean the entire hallway.  More people about threw up so I chased them away with a mop.”  She lays down, her head on Lance’s lap.

“Heh, you chased sick people with a mop?”

“Hey I had every right to chase them!”  Rebecca points out.  She nuzzles into her brother’s leg and rests her eyes.  “Did you get a refill?”

“Uh huh.  Though I never want to take Sarah and Rico anywhere ever again.”  Lance said.  “Those two are trouble.”  That got Rebecca to chuckle.

“Oh they’re only kids Lance, we use to do that all the time.  Antonio would get so annoyed.”

“Isn’t Antonio only two years older than you?”  Lance asks.

“Yeah, he’s old.”  She giggles.

“You’re twenty two Rebecca.”  Lance said.  

“That’s old.”  She smiles.  Lance runs his fingers through her hair, letting her relax.  Sarah runs down to see her sister.  She was excited to tell her something.

“Rebecca, Rebecca!”  Sarah was trying to get her attention.  Rebecca groans, not even opening her eyes she responds to her sister.

“What is it Sarah?”  She mumbles.

“I met a princess today!”  Sarah said with excitement.

“Ooh what was her name?”  Rebecca asks, Lance felt a chill go down his spine.

“His name was Keith, he was Lance’s friend!”  Rebecca’s eyes shot open.  She slowly looks at Lance.

“Really now?”  Her tone was cold, Sarah nods happily not catching her sisters vibe.

“Yeah!  I hope to see him again!”  She ran back upstairs, Rebecca didn’t look away from Lance.  He felt like time stopped, he was praying to be taken away at that exact moment.  Rebecca’s stare could kill.  

“So… he’s a friend now?”

“N-No.”  Lance said.  She got up and stares him down.  “Mamá was there okay?”  Lance whines.  “I didn’t want to tell her “Oh this is Keith, we’re allies cause I suck at reading and he sucks at math.”  Also we got into a fight not to long ago.”  Lance gave her a look.  Rebecca groans and leans back.

“Lance you can’t lie to Mamá!”  She said.  “Unless you don’t hate this brat anymore.”  Rebecca stares her brother down.

“I don’t hate him anymore… we don’t get along but I don’t hate him.”

“He’s made fun of Mamá and poked fun at you for being bilingual!  How could you not hate this kid?!”

“You should’ve seen him around Mamá.”  Lance remembers.  “He was so awkward and shy around her.  I think he’s hiding something.”  Lance thought about it.

“I don’t care what’s wrong, I don’t like him.  He got you in trouble!”

“I got myself in trouble.”  Lance points out.  “Just go to sleep Rebecca.   _Duérmete._ ”  Lance said sweetly.  Rebecca said something under her breath before sleep consumed her.  Lance smiles and leans back, falling asleep himself.

* * *

“Hey Sam what are your friends like?”  Lance asks on the bus the following Monday.  Sam looks at his brother and shrugs.

“They’re an other group.”  Sam said.

“Other group?”  Lance asks.

“Yeah, not popular or noticed.  But good people.”  Sam looks at his brother.  “Besides the hot one you got any others?”

“Call Pidge hot one more time and I’ll hit you with my sneaker.”  Lance threatens.  “And yes I have another friend, his name is Hunk.”

“Hunk?  What kind of stupid name is that?”  Sam asks.  Lance put his leg up and tried taking off his shoe.  “Okay I’m sorry!”

“Better be, I thought Mamá raised you better.”  Lance said.  Sam groans and leans back.

“God you sound like Rebecca!”  He said.  Lance rolls his eyes and watched the road go by them.  Lance was in a trance at that point, the white lines going by while cars go by him.  Sam looks around the bus and slouches.  “I’m bored.”

“Not my job to entertain you.”  Lance said.  He kept watching the road under him.

* * *

Lance walks in noticing signs and decorations everywhere.  The two ignore the sudden change and went their separate ways.  

Lance opens his locker and took rearranged everything, his normal routine.  He felt someone hit his back.  Didn’t take a genius to know who that was.

“Hey Lance.”  Pidge smiles at him, Hunk walks up to them.  “What’s up?”

“Nothing much.” Lance got done and shut his locker.  “What’s up with this?”

“The decorations?  Homecoming.  It’s this week.”  Pidge said.  “So that’s going on.  We have a game and a dance.”

“I’ve always hated my homecomings.”  Lance said.

“You’ve gone to homecoming before?”

“All the girls I went with were horrible.”  Lance remembers his old homecomings, he shudders.  “It’s like a smaller prom…”

“You’ve been to prom?”  Pidge asks.

“Yeah, it was a group of friends and I.  Our group picture had Rebecca laughing.”  Lance smiles remembering his old group.

“Who’s Rebecca?”  Hunk asks.  Lance looks at his friend.

“My older sister.”  Lance told him.  “Now let’s go to class.”  Lance picks Pidge up and carries her to class.

“HOW ARE YOU CARRYING ME AND YOUR THINGS?!”

* * *

Lance walks to Keith’s desk and puts the study guide on his desk.  He walks back to his desk and doodles in his planner.  Keith came in moments later and walks up to him.

“Uh…”  Keith starts, Lance looks at him.  “D-Did I help?”

“With the study guide?  Yeah thanks.”  Lance nods.  “It’s on your desk now.”  Keith looked uncomfortable.  “Everything alright?”

“Um… I’m sorry about… you know…”

“Uh I don’t know.”  Lance shook his head.  “And whatever it is I forgive you.”  Lance went back to drawing.

“Y-Your Mom is really nice.”  Keith said.  Lance laughs causing Keith to jump.

“She’s nice till she gets her sandals out.”  Lance said.  “Whack ya right in the head!”  Lance shouts.  “But yeah she’s nice.”

“She is…”  Keith said.  “So um… bye.”  

“See ya later.”  Lance waves him off.  Mrs. Boston came in with a smile on her face.

“Hope you all are ready for our test~”  Groans filled the classroom.  Lance felt himself get nervous.  He hates tests, especially reading tests.  Lance felt sick, his leg started up.  By the time it was done Lance had half of the test done.  

Keith walks up to him after class and stares at his test paper.  Lance got up slowly and about took his paper till Keith took it.  He stares at it then back at Lance.

“You have half of this done.”  Keith points out.

“Didn’t notice, thanks for pointing it out.”  Lance said in a cold tone, Keith didn’t react to his words.  Lance took the paper out of Keith’s hands and gave it to Mrs. Boston.  Lance walks out before Mrs. Boston could talk to him.  Keith follows Lance outside of the classroom.

“You need more help?”  He asks.  Lance ignores him and continues to his next location, Keith grabs his arm and pulls him to the side.

“What do you want Keith?”  Lance asks in an annoyed tone.

“I’m wondering if you need more help?”  Keith asks.  “I mean we’re allies now and I thought-”

“Wait...Are you willing to help me?”  Lance asks.

“I… well… if you want to.”  Keith looks at the floor while talking to him.  Lance stared at Keith with confusion then a warm smile came across the cubans face.

“Sure, I’ll have to repay you for it.”  Lance pats his shoulder.  “Didn’t think you’d care that much Kogane.”

“I-I don’t care about you!”  Keith shouts.  “Whatever, I’m leaving.”  He pushes Lance out of the way and kept moving.  Lance smirks.

“ _Nos vemos más adelante cariño~_ ”  Lance teases.

* * *

Pidge was throwing fruit snacks at Hunk to see if he’ll catch him in his mouth.  It fails.  She looks at Lance.

“Go Lance!”  She threw one in the air, Lance watches it and caught it in his mouth.  Pidge was amused and kept doing it, Lance catching them each time.

“So guys.”  Hunk started up.  “I was going to let it go but I know Pidge would be interested.  What did Keith give you on Friday?”

“HUH?!”  Pidge starts.

“You saw it was a folded piece of paper.”  Lance said.

“What was on it?”  Hunk asks, Pidge was right in his face.  Lance looks back at both of his friends.

“A study guide for literacy, nothing big.”  Lance continued to eat.

“Why?”  Pidge asks.  Lance smirks.

“That answer lies in the realms of my detention story dear Pigeon.  I cannot share anymore.”  Lance teases, that set the little girl off.  She grabs onto him and refused to let go.

“Damn you McClain!  I will rip your head off!”  She said.  Lance sat there and looks at her.

“You done?  I don’t like being shoved into your boobs.”  Lance said.

“Never, tell me what happened.”  Pidge said.  Lance continued to eat while Pidge stayed in her spot.  Never moving.

* * *

Gym was more ping pong, the groups were the same.  Lance looks at Keith before they started.

“Are you gonna play?”  Lance asks.

“Maybe.”  Keith said.  “I don’t care about playing.”  Lance thought, he smirked at Keith.

“You know…. Hunk said you’re not good at ping pong.  You’re not a challenge.”

“Huh?”  Keith looks at Lance.

“Yeah… he said that Keith isn’t good at ping pong.  He wasn’t a challenge.”  Lance egs Keith on.  He knew it was working, seeing Keith grow a smirk on his face.

“Oh really now?”  Keith said.  “Well I’ll just have to show him.”  Keith walks up with Lance and starts the match.  Keith started playing with more effort and caught the other two by surprise.

“What are you doing?  This is bullshit!”  Pidge shouts.  By the end of the hour Keith and Lance won.  Lance and Keith grab each other’s hands and jumped in joy.

“We won, we won!”  Keith said in joy.  Lance laughs along with him, Hunk and Pidge stared at it in shock.  “We won Lance!”  Keith said happily.  Lance nods.

“I wish I had my phone.”  Hunk said.

“I wish you had your phone.”  Pidge said.

* * *

The group walks out to the turnarounds where they’d separate till tomorrow.  Pidge and Hunk kept silent since gym ended.  Lance looks at his friends happily.

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”  He smiles.  Pidge grabs Lance’s arm and tugs him back.  He looks at her confused.  “What is it?”

“What was that?”  She asks.

“Huh?”  Lance was confused.

“You and Keith dancing around all buddy buddy!  What happened during that detention day that made you two get along so well?”  Pidge was dead set on getting an answer.  Hunk was on her side this time.  Lance groans in frustration.

“Pidge I have to meet up with Sam and get on the bus.”

“Yo.”

“Nevermind, I need to get on the bus.”  Lance said as Sam joins them.  Pidge refused to let go.  Lance looks at his brother.  “Sam help me!”

“Nah, I want to know what’s going on.”  He watched.

“ _¡Inútil hermano!_ ”  Lance shouts.  Sam sticks his tongue out and continues to watch.

“What happened?”  Pidge asked in a commanding tone.  Lance kept pulling away.  “Just tell us McClain, is what happened that embarrassing?”

“No!”

“Then why not tell us?”

“ _¡Porque no quiero que se enojado en mí!_ ”  Lance shouts.  His brother gave him a concerned look.  Pidge and Hunk stared at him trying to figure out what he just said.  Lance looks down.  “I-I’m scared he’ll get mad at me for sharing…”  He starts.  “He seems so secretive.”  Lance said.

Sam pats his brother’s shoulder and smiles.

“ _Hermano mayor, él no va a estar enojada contigo._ Trust me.”  Sam reassures his brother.  Lance sighs and looks at his friends.

“I guess I can tell you later.”  He said.  The two look at each other then back at Lance.

“We’ll meet up at the park downtown later.  It’s near where you live.  You’ll see us.”  Pidge said.

“If you don’t show up then we’re asking Keith.  I will take that risk.”  Hunk walks with her.  Lance looks at Sam.  Sam smiles and gave him a thumbs up.

“Don’t worry Lance.”  

“I am worried.”

* * *

Lance walks to the park after his Mom left, his siblings promised to keep their mouths shut.  The only people he feels like he can trust are his siblings.  

Though it was dark, he saw Pidge and Hunk at the park in a playground.  Hunk was on a swing while Pidge was going around a merry-go-round.  Lance walks up to them and waves.

“Finally.”  Hunk got up.  “You ready to tell us?”  Hunk walks towards the merry-go-round and sat on it, trying to stop it from spinning.  Lance nods and got on himself and sat on one of the handles.  Hunk kicked his feet spinning it again.

“So what happened on that day?”  Pidge asks.  Lance slouches and tried to collect his thoughts.  “It’s not like Keith is going to figure out here.  It’s just us three Lance.”  Lance took a deep breath and calmed down.

“Keith… isn’t a bad guy.”  Lance finally said.  Hunk and Pidge gave him a confused look.  Lance continued.  “He was reading a book so I asked him about it.  He talked with a smile on his face.”  Lance said.  “He’s real bad at math as I’m bad at reading.  He decided we should be allies and help each other in the classes we suck at.  That doesn’t make us friends.”  Lance finally said.  “Are we done?”

Pidge and Hunk look at each other and nod.

“You could’ve told us that.”  Hunk said.  Lance shrugs and continued to sit on the handle.  Hunk smiles at got up.  “Alright, hope you’re holding on tight.

“On no, Hunk please!”  Pidge chuckles and held on for dear life.  Lance looks at Pidge then back at Hunk.

“What are you doing?”  Lance asks, his question was soon answered when Hunk spun the merry-go-round with all of his strength and hops on.  Lance screams in terror while Pidge laughs happily as the merry-go-round blurs their vision.  “GOD, WHATEVER I DID TO PISS YOU OFF!  FORGIVE MEEEEEE!”  Lance cries to God.  The other two kept laughing as it spun.

Their laughter echoed in the darkness.

* * *

“Lance you going to homecoming?”  Rebecca asks when he got back.

“Nice to see you too Rebecca, it was great.  I almost died from a fucking merry-go-round.  Thanks for asking.”  Lance said in a sour tone.  He walks to the kitchen and pulls a juice pouch out.

“Sorry, it’s just that Sam was telling me how he’s going so I’m wondering if you and your friends are going.”

“Probably not.”  Lance said.  Rebecca smiles sweetly.

“Lance you should go.  Homecoming is fun.”

“No homecoming is a cheap prom.”  Lance corrects his sister.  “And I have nothing to wear.”

“Your old tux from last year.”  Rebecca said.  Lance freaked out.

“That was a rental, we didn’t return it?!”

“Nah it was on Dad’s card so he’ll pay for it.  Also we had to leave fast so I don’t blame you for packing it so quickly.”

“Aw Rebecca.”  Lance whines.  “I don’t wanna go.”

“ _No me importa,_ you’re going.”  Rebecca said.  Lance whines again and sits next to her watching her show again.  

“Where’s everyone else?”

“Asleep.”  Rebecca leans back on the couch, Lance copies her and the two sit and watch commercials together.  “Is everything cleared up with your friends?”

“Yeah.”

“Good.”  The silence consumes them, before they knew it the two fell asleep.

* * *

Their Mom wakes them up the next morning smiling at them.  Lance was curled up, his head behind Rebecca’s, she slept in the same position.  They mirrored each other.

“Come on you two.  It’s time to get up.”  She said sweetly.  Lance slowly got up with Rebecca and the two stretch at the same time in the same way.  Sam watches them and shook his head.

“Damn, and people say Lance and I are alike.  You two are in sync.”

“Shut up Sam.”  They both said in unison.  Rebecca got up to get changed while Lance went for the kitchen to grab his meds.  Sarah comes down all ready for school and hugs Lance.  He smiles at pats her head.

“Morning Lance.”  She says in a sing song voice.

“Good morning.”  He yawns.  She giggles.

“Are you still sleepy.”  

“I guess a little.”  Lance continues to go about his daily routine, getting dressed, hogging the bathroom that pissed his siblings off, and packing everything in his bag.  Lance ran downstairs and grabs Sam.

“Come on Sam, we need to go.”  He said.  Sam stumbles out next to his older brother and the two walk to their bus stop.

* * *

Everyone was getting excited over homecoming.  They were fighting their rival team and sure they were going to win.  Lance never cared for sports so he ignored all the students around him.  Hunk and Pidge walk up to him.

“Hey you guys.”

“Lance, Hunk wants to know if you are willing to go to homecoming with us.”  Pidge said.

“Huh?”  Lance looks at his friends quickly.  Pidge and Hunk stare at him.  “Why?  I mean all for it and all… but why?”

“Hunk wants to go and not seem like a lonely loser.”  Pidge said.  “He doesn’t want people to think we’re dating but still wants us to go, so we’re a group of three.”

“Why do you care so much buddy?”  Lance asks.  Pidge smirks.

“I’m sure he want’s to see that pretty cheerleader he likes so much~”  She teases, Hunk’s face turned red in a matter of seconds.

“N-No!  I just thought it’d be fun to go as friends.”  Hunk said.

“This isn’t about Shay?”  Pidge’s smirk never left.

“I’m serious!”  Hunk said.  “You wanna go or not?”  He asks, Lance thought about it and was sure Rebecca wanted him to go.  He smiles and nods.

“Okay I’ll go.”  Lance said.  Hunk smiles and hugs Lance.

“Thanks man, you’re awesome!”  He said in joy, Lance couldn’t breath.  Hunk was definitely a hugger.

* * *

Lance texts his sister telling her he was going to homecoming this year.  He puts his phone away and waits for class to start.  Keith walks in and leans against his seat.  Lance wondered if he was going.  Wouldn’t hurt to ask right?

No they weren’t friends so Lance shouldn’t care.  Maybe he’ll ask casually, hell he must have a girlfriend considering how attractive he is.  He has heard girls talk about him, Lance knew Keith was attractive, Lance thought he was hot.

Mrs. Boston walks in with pom poms and cheering as loud as she could.  The whole class looks up in shock.  That woke them up for sure.

“GO TEAM!”  She shouts.  “Who’s ready to lead the Paladins to victory, CAUSE I AM!”  Mrs. Boston runs around.  Everyone cheered in a bored tone.  All shouting “Go paladins” in unison.  She walks back to her desk and pulled up what they had to do that day.

The whole class had to finish the book that day and Lance was no where close to done.  After a few minutes the class began to talk to each other.  Lance became upset with himself, he closed his book in frustration and laid his head down on his book.

A few minutes later and Lance heard a desk scoot away, he felt someone sitting next to him.  Lance looks up from his book to see Keith looking at him with confused eyes.  Lance sat up more facing him.

“What is it?”  Lance asks.  Keith points at the book under Lance.  “What about it?”

“Did you read it all?”

“No I couldn’t get passed chapter forty.”  Lance said.  Keith took Lance’s notebook and wrote something down.  He got up and walked away.

“Tonight.”  Keith said.  Lance opens his notebook and flips to the page.  It said to meet at the park on eighth that night.  Lance picks up his things and left feeling confused.

* * *

The rest of the day Lance was quiet, it made both of his friends concerned.  Pidge kept pestering him while Hunk tried getting him to talk about it.  Lance said he was fine but he was so confused and worried that it was bugging him.  He didn’t know what to do or say.  Hell they’d freak out if they knew what was going on now.

He avoided them after school and told everyone at home he’d be back soon.  Rebecca said she’d beat him with a dirty shoe if he wasn’t back by midnight.  Nice to know he has such a caring older sister.

Lance walks to the park, which was a light year away from his house, and saw Keith sitting on the swings.  He notices Lance and waves him over.  Lance sat on the swing next to him and began to swing.

“You wanted me here why?”  Lance asks.  Keith held the book up.  “Keith I’m not gonna read it if that’s what you’re getting at.”  Lance said.  Keith shook his head and tried speaking, Lance waits for Keith to gather his thoughts.

“I was gonna read it to you, since you can’t read fast or well…  I thought this idea would help.  Unless you think it’s dumb.”  Keith looks down.  Lance looks at Keith in surprise.

“You’d do that?”  Lance asks.  Keith nods slightly, still not looking at him.  “That’d be great!”  Keith was now the one who was surprised.

“Y-You don’t think it’s weird?”

“No, I think it’s a great idea!”  Lance said happily.  “You’re really helping me, next time you need help I should take your test for you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”  Keith chuckles.  “Okay so what page did you leave off on?”

“Um… It was in forty… Just start it over.”  Lance said.  Keith nods and began to read, Lance stares at him and takes in every word.  It got dark before they finished.  The two got off the swings and walked to a bench close by that had a streetlamp.

By the time Keith finished reading it was already ten at night.  The two boys got up and began to walk home.  Lance took Keith’s hand happily.

“You are probably the greatest thing to happen to me!”  Lance said.  “Thank you so much!”  He ran home.  “See you tomorrow Keith!”

Keith stood in place watching Lance go home.  He sighs and walks back, hoping that little bit Lance had just said he didn’t mean.

* * *

Lance came in quietly and immediately got beat with a shoe.  Lance screams and ran away from his crazy sister, she kept cursing at him in Spanish and chased him with her shoe.

"I'm sorry Rebecca!"

"NO SORRY ONLY _LA CHANCLA_!"  She shouts at him.  Lance kept running away from her, their siblings watched the two for the rest of the night.

* * *

Lance groans that morning as the sun hit his eyes causing him to wake up.  He walks down and took his meds while his siblings do what they usually do in the morning.  His Mother smiles at him and continues to cook.  Lance walks upstairs and took the bathroom like usual.  He opens the small cupboard and pulls out a small container filled with once a days.  He pulls the packet out and stares in horror.  All out.

Lance walks downstairs holding it in his hands. 

"Mamá, do we have any more."  Lance asks.  His Mom looks at him and shook her head.

"You'll have to go without them today."  She said.  Lance's eyes grew wide, this day was gonna suck.

 

 


	6. Homecoming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a test coming up in a half an hour so enjoy this while I go and die.

Lance peeks around the corner, Hunk and Pidge were nowhere in sight.  He tiptoes over to his locker, covering his face with his notebooks.  Once at his locker he tries opening it without looking at the lock, which failed miserably on his part.  Lance looks at his lock and put his combo in quickly.

“Lance?”  Pidge spoke up.  He jumps and hid his face again.  “What are you doing?”

“Ah… opening my locker?”  Lance said like it was a question.  Pidge and Hunk stare at him.  “Now if you’ll excuse me..”  He tries opening it and realized his scare messed his combo up.  He does a little cry gave up on opening it.

“Lance just open your locker.”

“Heh who needs lockers, they’re overrated.”  Lance made an excuse.  Hunk pokes the notebook on his face.

“Dude you’re obviously hiding something from us…”  He said.  “You’re not smooth.”

“Is it a zit?”  Pidge asks.

“Uh… yeah… a big ugly one!”

“Definitely not a zit.”  Hunk said.  “Come on just put it down.”  Hunk tried being kind and understanding.  Lance whimpers and slowly puts the notebook down revealing a pair of big sky blue glasses.  He looks at the floor hoping that the two wouldn’t laugh.

“WHAT IS THAT?!”  Pidge began to laugh, Lance’s face turned red and refused to look up.  Hunk looks at Pidge then back at Lance.

“Uh… they look good on you dude.”  He was trying to be nice, Hunk could tell Lance was uncomfortable.  “Blue is your color, really brings out your eyes.”

“THOSE THINGS ARE BIGGER THAN MINE!”  She continues to laugh.  Lance goes about his routine and slams his locker shut, he storms off.  “DON’T WORRY LANCE, I’LL FIND YOU EASILY!  THOSE THINGS ARE LIKE SEARCHLIGHTS, THEY STAND OUT!”  Pidge shouts in a mocking manner.

* * *

Lance looks at his history book, still hearing Pidge giggle.  Lance glares at her from above his glasses, she pokes them.

“Why such a bright and obvious color?”  She snickers.

“Keep laughing I dare you…”  He grumbles.

“Oh I bet Kogane is gonna riot when he sees those, now he has a reason to make fun of you.”  She said.  “Damn you’re like a hispanic Steve Urkel.”

“HEY!”  Lance shouts.  “You wear glasses too Pidge.”

“Mine aren’t as big as yours, dude why?”

“My eyes are bad okay?”  Lance whines.  “Forget you I’m going back to work.”  Lance continues to work.  Pidge giggled whenever Lance had to push his glasses up or do anything with them.  Lance got annoyed with her and is sad that he had another hour with her.  

* * *

Lance went into literacy and hid his face in his arms and refused to show anyone his face.  Keith walks in and sees Lance hiding.  He walks up and pokes his head.

“Are you sleepy?”  Keith asks.  Lance shook his head in his head and continued to hide.  Keith waits for him to get up.  “Are you sad?”  Again he shook his head.  Keith waits for Lance to lift his head and talk to him, but nothing was happening.

“Are you sick?”

“No Keith I’m fine.”

“Then why is your head on your desk?”  Keith asks.  Lance knew that Keith wasn’t gonna go away at that rate.  He slowly looks at Keith, who covered his mouth to muffle his laughter.

“I KNEW YOU WERE GONNA LAUGH!”  Lance slams his head on his desk, which hurt even more due to the glasses.  “Leave me here to die.”

“N-N-No no, I think they suit you!”  Keith said.  Lance refused to believe that.  “You look nice and cu- um I mean you… well you don’t look like a nerd and all.”

“Wooooow.”  Lance mumbles.  “Making me feel great.”

“They stand out.”  Keith points out.  “Why did you pick such a bright color as glasses?”  He asks.

“Cause I thought I wouldn’t have to wear them as much.”  Lance admits.  “I liked the color, they looked good on me and I thought I didn’t have to wear them that much!”  The bell rang and Keith went back to his desk, Lance could feel Keith staring at him the whole time.

* * *

Pidge giggles and pokes Lance’s face during lunch.  The cuban gave a blank face while eating, hoping she’d get tired of messing with him.  She was enjoying herself too much.

“Why are my glasses so funny to you?”  He asks.  Pidge stops and looks at Lance.

“Cause I thought someone as “smooth” as you never had glasses.”  She said.  “It’s funny that a guy who thinks he looks good wears such dorky things.”

“One, I know I look good!  I’m a goddess.”  He states, his friends gave him a look wondering if he meant to say “goddess”.  “And two, let it be!  Yes I wear glasses, and yes they’re dorky but let me wear them and not be judged!”  

“Yeah… that’s not how this works Lance.”  Pidge smirks.  “You have something, I’m gonna make fun of you for it.  Like Hunk’s crush on Shay who he has no chance with.”  

“Rude!”  Hunk whines.

“Now I know not to tell you if I have a crush on anyone.”  Lance goes back to eating his food.  Pidge took a spoonful of his pudding and smirks evilly.  Lance gave her a sad look.  “Why?  Why must you torture me so?”

“Cause it’s fun.”  Pidge smirks and began to play on her phone.  “So are you guys ready for homecoming?”  She asks.

“No.”

“Kind of.”  The two boys reply.  Pidge looks at Lance.

“You wearing those to homecoming?”

“YES NOW SHUT UP!”  Lance squeaks.

“But I’m having fun.”

“ _ ¡Eres una perra poco Pidge! _ ”  Lance squeaks again.  Pidge laughs knowing what he said was an insult.  She was enjoying herself too much.

* * *

The group stood in the gym holding paddles again waiting for Coach to come back.  Keith and Pidge kept messing with Lance’s glasses.  Finally he walks away from them.

“See you guys kept messing with him and now he’s uncomfortable.”  Hunk said.

“Oh come on Hunk, it was funny.”

“Funny?  He’s upset.”  Hunk points out.  The other two look away trying to seem less guilty.

“I’ll talk to him.”  Keith walks after Lance who stood in the main hallway upset.  Keith stares at him for a moment trying to find the right words.  Lance looks at him, then back at the wall avoiding eye contact with him.  “Lance?”

Nothing.

“Quit acting like this, it’s only some teasing.”

“I’m getting annoyed.”  Lance said.  Keith leans against the wall next to him and stares at the wall too.  Lance finally started to speak.  “I hate these things, and now I’m going to have to wear them to homecoming and feel like an idiot.”

“So?  I’m sure nobody’s gonna judge you for wearing them.  Unless you have a date who hates nerds.”

“I don’t have a date and I’m going with Hunk and Pidge as a group thing.”  Lance sighs.  “I feel so stupid in these things.”

“You look fine in them.  I’d stop worrying.”  

“You don’t have to worry about it, you look good.  Whoever you’re going with is lucky to have such an attractive guy going to this stupid dance with them.”  Lance pouts.  Both boys stay silent for a few seconds.

“I’m not going to the dance…”  Keith said in an awkward tone.  Lance was completely shocked and speechless.

“You’re not-?”  Keith grabs his arm and looks down, looking a little sad about the topic.

“I don’t have a date… no one asks me out anyways…”  Lance felt like shit now.  He pats Keith’s shoulder trying to make him feel better.

“Uh… maybe you can go with your friends.”  Lance said.  Keith slaps his hand away.  Lance was shocked by Keith suddenly slapping him.

“Come on before Coach gets mad.”  Keith said.

“O-Okay, Keith are you alright?”

“Fine.”

“ _ ¿Estás seguro? _ ”  Lance asks.

“Um… I don’t know what you’re saying.”  Keith kept walking.  Lance sighs and follows Keith, still feeling like shit.

* * *

Lance and Sam walk home and sat on the couch together both worn out.  Rebecca walks in moments later and lays on their legs.  Their Mom looks at them and groans.

“Aw my little kids, _ viviendo la vida dura. _ ”  She said.  “I’m going, you five behave yourselves.  Also you three on the couch, don’t push yourselves too hard.”  She mocks them and walks out.  Lance, Sam, and Rebecca all look at each other.

Sarah and Rico walk in and saw their older siblings tired and worn out.  Sarah tugs at Rebecca’s sleeve and got her attention.

“What?”

“Rebecca why are you so sleepy now?”

“Cause I work a lot.”

“Rico and I aren’t tired, right Rico?”  Sarah asks her little brother, he nods and smiles at his siblings.

“ _ No sueño. _ ”  Rico said happily.  The three sigh and go back to resting on the couch.

* * *

That night Lance sat with Rebecca who was upset that her show wasn’t on that night.  She threw her remote at the TV, which misses completely, and pouts.

“I WANNA SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO HER, SHE HAS TO BREAK UP WITH JACK!”  She cries.  Lance fixes his glasses and watches his sister freak out.  Rebecca took a deep breath and leaned back.  “So how are you?”

“I hate these things.”  Lance made a disgusted face and stares at his glasses on his face.  “I was made fun of all day by my friends.”  Lance looks at Rebecca and leans on her shoulder.  “They were so mean.”

“Why would they make fun of you?”  Rebecca asks.  “You look adorable with glasses.”  She cooes.  “But my little brother is so cute anyways.  Look at you, you so ke-ute~”  Lance hid his face in embarrassment.

“Noooo stop!”  Lance whines.  

“Why?  I’m being honest!”  Rebecca said.

“You’re embarrassing me!”  He squeaks.  Rebecca couldn’t control herself.  She tackles Lance down and hugs him tight.

“Oh you’re just too cute Lance!”  She said.

“Can’t breath!”  He tried getting out of her grasp, it wasn’t working.  Rebecca kept him down till the two passed out.

* * *

Lance woke up with his glasses crooked on his face and Rebecca curled on his chest.  He shook her awake.

“Hm?”  She looks up.  “Oh sorry bout that Lance… I think I drooled a bit on your shirt.”  She points at a drool stain.

“AW NASTY!”  Lance pulls at his shirt.

“You drool too.”  She points at his pillow.  They notice their Mom awake and smirking at them.

“I got a cute picture you two.”  She said.  “You two still love being together, it’s cute.”  She walks back to the kitchen.  Sarah came down holding Rico’s hand, both sleepy.  Sarah rubs her brown eyes, her red hair was everywhere.  Rico fell on the floor and fell asleep again.

Rebecca got up and picks Rico up.

“I don’t know why Rico keeps getting up with Sarah and comes down with her.”  She said.  Lance looks up.

“I think Sarah wakes him up and he follows her down cause he wants to be with her.  You were the same way with me when I was little.”  Lance said.  “And we were in separate rooms.”

“Shut up, you were my best friend growing up.”  Rebecca said.  “Rico, do you wanna go back upstairs and sleep?”  She asks the sleepy toddler, he shook his head and cuddled to Rebecca’s shoulder.  She smiles and walks with him.  “You should go get ready Lance, and wake up Sam.”

“Okay.”  Lance got up and ran upstairs.  “ _ ¡DESPIERTA HERMANO! _ ”  He shouts and dogpiles on his brother.  Downstairs they heard a creak and an uncomfortable groan from Sam.  Rebecca stares at the stairs while Sarah tried pouring cereal, it missed the bowl and hit the floor but she was too tired to notice.  Rebecca looks over and panics.

“Ah Sarah Sarah!”  She tried waking her sister up.  “ _ ¡Sarah, que está recibiendo el cereal en todas partes! _ ”  Rebecca woke Rico up but not the zombie what was Sarah.

* * *

Lance pats Sam’s head as he walks to his locker.

“See ya later, and remember tonight~”  Lance smirks.

“I don’t have a date Lance, just going with some friends.”  Sam said.  Lance rolls his eyes.

“You might meet a cutie.”

“Whatever Lance.  See ya after school.”

“Yeah.”  Lance walks to his locker and began his normal routine.  Pidge came running in and hugs his back while Hunk pats his shoulder.

“How you doin Lance?”  He asks.  Lance looks over with a smile.

“Good, how are you… and clingy right here?”  He asks, softly smiling at the girl on his back.

“I don’t know about her but I’m good.  Feeling ready for tonight's game!  And super ready for tomorrow!”

“Glad one of us is.”  Lance said.  “I’m not ready for a dance, Pidge are you?”  He asks.  Pidge nods and cuddles into Lance’s side.  He smiles and kept walking, Pidge was clinging the whole time.  “Uh… are you okay?”

“Mh hm.”  She nods still not letting go.  Hunk shrugs and the three walk to their next class.  Lance had to pry Pidge off so he could sit down.  He really wants to know why she was so clingy to him.

* * *

The group talked about meeting up at the park for pictures, Lance already regretting agreeing to go to the dance.  Pidge and Hunk talked about how long it takes to get ready, girl’s vs guys.  The two turned it into a competition that Pidge easily won.

“Sorry Hunk but girls take longer.”  She says.  “Lance don’t you agree?”

“Oh yeah, girls take so much time getting ready.   _ Tanto tiempo. _ ”  Lance said.  Pidge points and laughs in victory.

“Told ya!”  She shouts.  The three walk to the changing rooms and quickly got ready.  They met up again and noticed that the tables weren’t out.  No more ping pong.

Coach came out and grabs Hunk to help him with gym matts.  Lance watches while Pidge groans.

“Noooo not this!”

“What?”  Lance asks.  Pidge points.

“Matt-ball.”  She groans.  “A game of hell for people with short legs.”

“Oh so I’ll like it?”  Lance teases.  Pidge glares at him.

“I’ll break your glasses!”  She threatens.  Lance laughs and walks away from Pidge.  She clings to his back again and Lance tried getting her off.

“What what, why?  Why are you doing this?”  Lance asks.  Pidge wraps her legs around his waist and stayed on his back.  Lance just went with it and walks around with her on his back, Hunk notices and decided to ignore him.  Keith walks out and immediately was confused yet curious.  He walks up to Lance and Pidge.

“Should I ask?”  He asks.  Lance shook his head, Pidge stayed silent.  “Gonna ask anyways, what the fuck?”

“I don’t know, she’s clingy today.”  Lance said.  “I-I can’t fix my glasses.”  Lance threw his head back hoping that’d fix them.  He was failing miserably.  “K-Keith, Keith help me…”  Lance said.  Keith pushes Lance’s glasses up on his nose.  “Thanks.”

“No problem.”  Keith said.  Hunk walks back and stood next to Lance who still had Pidge imitating a koala bear.  Coach looks at his class and splits them up.

“Katie you don’t count as one.”

“Yes we do!”  She said.  “Two form as one!”  Pidge clung to Lance.

“Get down.”

“No I want to be on Lance’s team cause he’s got long legs!”

“And you’re small and fast.”  He said.  “Down.  Join that team.”  She pouts and walks out to the field.  Lance and Hunk ended up on the same team, Pidge called bullshit but Coach didn’t care.  He’s dealt with her since she started high school and had her brother, the Holts are always alike.

Keith looks at Pidge and back at the kick line.  He never gave any effort in class.  He never cared to, unless someone started something.  Keith just grabbed his arm and stood still.

Lance was first to kick, he got a good kick on it and bolts to first.  Keith looks up and saw it was above him perfectly.  He caught it, his expression never changed.  Lance looks at him in shock.

“ _ ¡USTED PERRA! _ ”  Lance shouts.  Keith’s expression stayed flat, he tossed it back to Coach.  The cuban pouts and heads to the back of the line.

Hunk kicked and runs to first.  He sighs.

“Okay, I’m done… all I can do.”

“Yeah right Garrett.”  Coach said.  Hunk hit his head on the bleachers.  The next kid kicked and got himself out.  Then after a few more one more got out.  They swapped teams.

Pidge was first and kicked.  She bolts to first and stops.

“There she is, “Bolt Holt”!”  Coach shouts.  She smirks and got ready to run again.  Lance noticed how good she was at sports despite being such a shut in nerd.  As soon as the next kid kicked she runs to second.  Lance points at her and stares at Hunk.

“You heard Coach.  “Bolt Holt”.”  He said and saw Keith walk up.  He bunts it and jogs to first, he got out.  Coach groans.

“Come on Kogane!”  He shouts.  Keith shrugs and walks to the back of the line.  Lance watches the line as Pidge ran behind him.

The group switch again.  Lance kicked away from Keith and ran to second.  Coach stares at Lance in shock.

“Alright McClain.”  He nods.  Lance smiles at the praise.  After a while a group built up on second and they moved as a herd.  However one got out causing the switch.  Lance saw Pidge got up and after her kick bolts to first.  Lance could see the nickname now.  She was quick.

Keith came up after a few people, Lance smirks.

“Hey Keith!”  His violet eyes look up in confusion.  “I can clearly see why you don’t try.  I mean you’re so weak and slow!”  He eggs him on again.  Keith stares then smirks.

“Oh yeah?”  He asks.  He took the bait, though Lance will regret it.  Keith kicked as hard as he could and ran all the way to third.  Everyone stares at him in shock, he was faster than Lance and Pidge.  Coach had a smile grow on his face.

“Wow Kogane, what was that?!”  He asks.  “I couldn’t see you, a blur of red.”  He compliments.  Keith smiles at Coach, like that was the nicest thing he’s ever heard.

“Nice one Lance.”  Hunk said.

“I didn’t think he was that fast!”  Lance whines.

“Hey Lance!”  He heard Keith shout.  Lance looks over.  “Lookie where I ended up!  Did you get this far?”  Lance turns away.  “Didn’t think so!”

Pidge laughs with Keith on third.  As soon as the next kid kicked Pidge and Keith ran towards forth and went back to first.

“Look at “Bolt Holt” and “Red” go!”  Coach shouts.  Hunk looks at Lance.

“Dude this isn’t fair, you should’ve kept your mouth shut.”

“I didn’t know.”  Lance growls.

* * *

Lance got his jacket and walks out with all of his siblings.  He groans as he walks out.

“Do we have to?”  He asks.  Rebecca pushes him out holding Rico.

“Yes, let’s root for the Paladins!”  She said.  “This is your team and Sam’s as well.  Also you should experience a high school football game before you graduate.”  Rebecca closes the door behind her and locks it.  “Long walk ahead so let’s go!”

“Yay!”  Sarah shouts.  Lance held the red head’s hand and walks with his siblings.  The five siblings made it to the stadium and paid to get in.  They sit in a group and watched the game.  The cheerleaders cheer and run around in their short skirts.  Sarah points at them.

“Aren’t they cold?”  She asks Rebecca.

“No they’re doing a lot of exercise so they’re warm.”  Rebecca said.  Sarah looks back down.

“Oh… okay.”  She smiles and watches them jump around again.  The Paladins run out and everyone cheers.  The five saw the crowd around them cheer.  Rebecca laughs.

“Who knew this city loved their team so much.”

“So many live in Altea.”  Lance said.

“Yeah it’s a heavily populated city.”  She watched them sit down and they watched the game.  Sarah was concerned about the cheerleaders and their health, Rico cheered for both teams, Sam wanted food, and Lance wants nothing to do with this.

“Lance!”  He heard a familiar voice, Pidge and Hunk walk down and sat next to him.  Rebecca looks at the two as they sat next to her brother.

“Who are you two?”  She asks.

“Huh?”  Pidge looks at Rebecca.  “Name’s Pidge, and this is Hunk.”

“Hi.”  Hunk waves.  “We’re Lance’s friends.”  He said.  Rebecca’s face lit up.

“So you do have friends and not just a rival!”  She said.  Lance groans and looked back at his friends.

“So what are you two doing here?”  He asks.

“Oh Hunk and I are here for the food.”  Pidge said.  “Oh oh Lance look down at them!”  She points at the cheerleaders.  Hunk looks at her and panics.

“N-No no no please!”

“That one right there, see her?”  Lance looks at the girl Pidge was pointing at.  A broader girl with a high ponytail.  Her hair was a brownish green color and had a darker skin tone than most of the other girls.  She waves at the crowd with the others.

“Yeah, what about her?”  Lance asks.  Pidge smirks.

“That is Shay.”

“Her?!”  Lance asks.  “That’s who Hunk has a crush on?”  Hunk hid his face in embarrassment.

“Stop please!”  Hunk said.

“Yeah, the girl he has no chance with.”  She teases.  Hunk glares at her.

“Hey that’s rude!”  He said.  “I may have a chance!”

“ _ Oi hermano. _ ”  Rebecca got Hunk’s attention.  “No need to be rude, but you should give up and find someone else.  She’s a hot cheerleader and you’re friends with this guy.  You have zero chances.”  Rebecca was brutally honest.

“Okay one that’s rude sis.”  Lance starts.  “Hunk has just as good a chance as anyone and two… WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!”

“Lance… I love you don’t get me wrong.  But you need to accept that you are a dork.  An adorable dork.”

“Ow…”  Lance put his head down.  Pidge rubs Lance’s back and continued to watch.  The group saw the Paladins doing great in the game, though the group didn’t know the rules well they cheered whenever they got a touchdown.  

During the final inning Sarah tugs on Lance’s sleeve.  He stares at his sister who was persistent.

“Yes?”

“I want taffy!  I saw someone with taffy!”  She explained.  “Can I get some taffy please?”  She begs her brother.  Lance groans and got up.

“Alright.  Let’s go.  We’ll be back Rebecca.”  Lance took Sarah’s hand and walks down the crowded stadium stairs and into a small dirty concession stand.  Lance wondered why everything was made of cement.

He bought a soda for himself and got Sarah her taffy that she obviously needed.  The two walked out of the crowded stand and Sarah immediately gasps, Lance jumps and scolds her.

“Sarah what the hell?!”  She ran from her brother and hugs someone from behind.  Lance looks at the poor person.

“It’s the princess!”  She shouts.  Keith looks down and blushes at the comment since more peers were around.  Lance runs up and grabs her.

“Sarah be nice, Keith is still uncomfortable with that!”  He kept scolding his sister.  “Keith I am so sorry, she saw you and just ran for you and I’m sorry.”  

“Ah… it’s fine.”  Keith said.  Lance sighs in relief, Sarah looks up at Keith.

“Are you going to the dance?”  She asks.  “Brother’s going and I think a princess should go to the dance.”  She said happily.  Keith looks at her and shook his head.

“N-No I’m not going.”  Keith said.  “Sorry I just don’t like social gatherings… not my thing.”  He explained.  Sarah pouts.

“Princess need to go to dances.  You’re the prettiest princess in the world and you won’t go?!”  She pouts, Lance laughs at her.

“You made her feel bad princess, maybe you should apolo-”  Keith held up a hand to stop him from talking.  He glares and walks away.  That action pissed off Lance.  He looks at Sarah.

“Let’s go back before I lose it.”  He said.  Sarah nods happily and ran back to her spot with Lance.  Sarah sat next to Rico and watched the game with her taffy.  Lance sighs and watches the game.  He looks at Pidge.

“Do I have to go tomorrow?”  He asks her.

“Yes now watch.”  She didn’t even look at him.  Lance groans and continued to watch and wonder what was going on.  Sports were not his thing.

* * *

Rebecca awes at her brothers who wore old suits.  Lance had a blue and black one while Sam had an identical one but teal.  They look at their sister like they wanted to see her blood splattered on the walls of the house.

“ _ ¡Dos miras tan guapo! _ ”  She compliments.  Lance smirks and struck a pose.

“I always look good sis~”  He said.  Sam clicked his tongue.

“Yeah, those glasses sure make you look the part.”

“FIGHT ME!”  He whines.  Sam laughs and walks towards the door.

“My friends are probably waiting for me.”

“Mine too.”  Lance said.  “Bye you guys.”  He notices Rebecca raising an eyebrow, both boys groan.  “We’ll take pictures we promise.”

“Good.  Well have fun~”  She waves them off.

* * *

Lance saw his group and calls to them.

“Hunk, Pidge!”  He waves.  Pidge wore a simple green dress that went to her kneecaps.  Her hair was in a tight ponytail but her bangs cupped her face.  She wore light makeup and was wearing flats.

Hunk wore a suit like Lance’s but yellow.

Pidge walks up and pushes her glasses up with a sweet smile.

“I kept mine, so you’re not alone.”  She said.  Lance sighs and pushes her lightly.  She giggles and walks ahead.  Hunk and Lance follow her inside the school, it was full of kids.  Almost everyone was there.

“I-It’s crowded!”  Lance shouts at Pidge.

“What?”  Pidhe shouts.

“I said IT’S CROWDED!”

“It’s clouded?”  She asks.  “I guess it is clouded…”

“NO I- nevermind.”  Lance said.  Pidge shrugs at Hunk and the three walk in a corner.  Lance pulls Hunk in and Pidge crawls in between them and smiles.  He took a few pictures and smiles at his phone.  “Now Rebecca won’t kill me.”

“That girl we saw yesterday, was that ‘Rebecca’?”  Pidge asks, Lance replys with a nod.

“She’s my older sister.”

“She was gorgeous.”  Pidge said with a smile.  “I never knew someone like you would be related to someone who looks like that.”

“Fucking… _ pelear conmigo. _ ”  Lance pouts.  “I’m good looking.”

“Okay all jokes aside, lookie over there Hunk~”  Pidge points at a group of kids talking and dancing.  Hunk immediately hid behind Lance.  

“Y-Yeah good for them being in a big group and all, your point?”  Hunk tried avoiding her.  Lance sighs and looks at his friend.

“Maybe you should try talking to her.  Try asking her out.”

“Easier said than done Lance.  I never know what to say to her.”  

“You two once talked for four hours.”  Pidge points out in annoyance.  Hunk chuckles and ignores her.  One in a tan dress looks back at the group and waves happily.  Pidge and Lance gave a confused look and waves back at her.  Hunk shyly waves.  

“She’s pretty.”  Lance said.

“You haven’t seen her up close.”  Hunk complains.  “So are we gonna dance, or stand around awkwardly?”  He asks.

“Hunk none of us can dance.”  Pidge said.  Lance stood on the wall and listens to the current song end.  The next song Lance felt excited, Pidge heard it in confusion.

“What is this?”  She asks.  Hunk listens for a moment as it gets to it’s chorus.

“Oh it’s Pitbull’s Pause if I’m correct… Lance seems to like it.”  He points at Lance who started dancing to it.  Pidge and Hunk watch as he shook his hips and followed the beat almost perfectly, they can’t deny it the boy knew how to move.  Hunk took his phone out and records him.  Pidge sighs and walks up to him.

“Okay show off, we get it.  You can dance.  Now knock it off.”  She said.  Lance stops and mouths “pause” and kept dancing.  “Knock it off!”  After the song was over Lance smirks.

“I’m gonna go get some water.”  He runs off leaving his friends behind.  Lance found the fountain outside of the gym and took a quick drink.  He turns and noticed someone leaning against the wall hiding from everyone.  Lance smirks and snuck up on the person.

“So princess came to the ball after all~”  He said in a cool tone.  Keith jumps and held his chest.

“Christ don’t do that!”  Keith hisses.  Lance laughs happily, actually glad to see Keith.

“Why are you hiding?  You should come in and dance with the rest of the school.”

“I didn’t want to come, I was forced.”  Keith said.  “I will not go in there, if I have a say in any of this then I say I’m staying out here and avoid everyone.”  Lance stood next to Keith.

“I think you’ll have fun.”  Lance said.  “Come on just one dance.”

“How about you piss off and leave me alone.”  Keith growls.  Lance was taken aback.  He glares at Keith.  “Are you getting the message or are you having a hard time understanding me again?”  Keith asks.  “Listen, I don’t want you around me!  Want it in spanish?   _ No como yo. _ ”

“You didn’t say-”

“Don’t care, not like it matters anyways.  Now I don’t want you around me at all, got it?  I don’t like you, we are not friends!”  Keith hisses.  Lance just stares in shock, he doesn’t know what has gotten into him.

“Was that called for?”  He asks.  Keith rolls his eyes and walks off.  Lance followed Keith and grabs his arm, yanking the poor boy back.  “What the hell was that?!”  Lance asks.  Keith yanks his arm away.

“Nothing, just back off.”  Keith began to walk off.  Lance sighs and follows Keith.  “Lance go away.”

“No.”  Lance said.  “What’s wrong, did I do something?”  Lance asks like he actually did something and didn’t know.  Keith just stares at him and kept walking.  Lance grabs his arms again.

“Knock it OFF!”  Keith demands.  “LET… ME..!”  

“Keith what the fuck did I do to you?  You’re acting like we’re enemies again.”  Lance said.  “Did I do something to you?”

“YES NOW BACK OFF!”  Keith shouts.

“What?  What did I do?”  Lance was trying to stay calm in the situation.  He kept Keith locked between his hands, Keith looks down trying to think of what to say.

“You’re trying to… WHY IS SOME DUMB NEW KID TRYING TO GET CLOSE TO ME?!”  Keith tried pushing Lance off, it didn’t work.

“You don’t want to be friends?  Is that it?  I thought we were “allies” or something like that.”

“YOU’RE GETTING TOO CLOSE TO ME AND IT’S FREAKING ME OUT!”

“You’re freaking me out right now…”  Lance admits.  Keith struggles.

“I DON’T WANT SOME LOSER LIKE YOU BUGGING ME NOW BACK OFF!”

“You’re not telling the truth.”  Lance knew Keith was hiding something.

“NO I’M NOT!”

“You’re getting louder.”  Lance said.  “I don’t want to bug you okay?  If you want me to back off a little then fine.”  Keith shook more violently.

“DON’T TALK LIKE THAT!  IT’S NOT FAIR, LET ME GO!”

“What am I doing wrong?  Are you afraid of me hurting you?”

“NO, I’M AFRAID OF HURTING YOU!”  That got Lance to let go, Keith was staring at the floor, his face covered in tears.  Lance just stood there staring at Keith, both stayed silent for a while.  Lance tried saying something but Keith stood up quickly and ran off.

Lance just stood in place, he looks up at the direction Keith ran.

‘Why is he so afraid of hurting me?’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all like angst? Well good cause it's coming up real soon. :)


	7. Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got done with all projects and all papers, and tests. Ah summer! So updates will be more frequent. Enjoy this chapter.

Lance sat around the house during Sunday as the rest of his family got ready for church.  He didn’t bother putting on something dressy, he wasn’t feeling to good.  His Mom runs in yelling at everyone to hurry to the car cause service was starting soon.  Lance got up and followed his siblings to the car.  They left their dirt driveway and rode all the way across town to their small church.

The family all sat in a booth and waited for service to start.  Lance saw Rico climb into the booth to sit next to him.  As soon as Rico was victorious he leans against Lance and smiles.  Lance rubs Rico’s head and waits.

“You okay Lances?”  Lance looks down at Rico who was staring dead at him with big brown eyes.  He nods.

“Yeah I’m fine Rico.”

“You sad?”  He said.  “Broder not like dances?”

“No I like dances Buddy.”  Lance said.  “I just… didn’t have a good time.”

“Why?”

“I got into a fight with someone who I thought was a friend and-”  He felt a pair of blue eyes staring him down.  If it wasn’t for his baby brother he would’ve ran out in fear.  Rico leans against Lance again.

“Is okay Lances.  You make up with friend soon… friends never stay mad at each other.”  Rico said.  Lance smiles at Rico and hugs him softly.

“I know.”  He said happily.

* * *

Lance curled into a ball as Rebecca yells at him.  He whines hoping it would end soon, well God wasn’t answering prayers at the moment because Lance was still getting yelled at.

_ “¿Tienes que luchar contra a ese mocoso estúpido en un baile? ¡No puedo creer Lance! Pensé que ustedes dos estaban en igualdad de condiciones, pero no tenía que ser un idiota otra vez y escoge a usted! ¿Por qué molestarse salir con él ¿EH? No es un buen mocoso estúpido lo tanto odio! Juro que cuando lo veo otra vez que será el último de él! _ ”

Lance covered his ears and refused to listen to her anymore.  She saw he wasn’t listening and began to hit him with a pillow.

“DO.  NOT.  IGNORE.  ME!”  She shouts with each hit.  Lance whines trying to avoid his crazy sister.

“I’m sorry!  I saw him at the dance and tried talking to him!  He’s…  He got mad at me!”  Lance whines.  Rebecca smacks him one last time and groans.

“You keep walking up to him and trying to talk to him.  What are you trying to accomplish Lance?”

“Nothing… after a while it felt natural to talk to him.  Like nothing was going to happen.”  Lance remembers what happened so well, Keith’s face burned into his mind.  “I made him cry Rebecca.”

“He feels emotion?  What a surprise.”  She said in a monotone voice.  Lance threw the pillow at her and sat up.

“I feel so bad.”  Lance said.  “I want to say something to him, apologize… but I didn’t do anything.  He doesn’t want to get close to anyone, he said he was afraid of hurting me.”  Lance looks at his sister.  “What do I do?”

“Let him be alone and never talk to him again.”

“Give me advice I’ll actually listen to!”  Lance said.  Rebecca shrugs and turns the TV on.  She sat next to Lance and rubs his back.

“He doesn’t want you in his life.  No need to force your way into a friendship with him.  If he wants friends then he’ll open up.  You have no right to invade his life.”  She said.  Lance still feels like Keith wanted to hang out with him.

He always came up and talked to him, starting conversations, offering help.  Lance didn’t know what he did to make Keith hate him.

“I want to know what I did Rebecca.”  Lance said.  She sighs knowing nothing will stop Lance from trying to befriend him.

* * *

Lance opens his locker and did his morning routine.  Hunk and Pidge came in and said hi.  Well Hunk said hi, Pidge latched onto Lance again.

“Hi, Pidge why are you doing this?”  He asks.  She said nothing, only cuddles into his back.  “Anyways I’m sorry about leaving early.  Something came up.”

“It’s fine.”  Hunk said.  “Pidge and I had fun without you.”

“Ow.  I feel loved.”  He said.  Pidge and Hunk both laugh.

“We’re kidding, actually we were worried.”  Pidge said.  “Can you tell us what happened?”  She asks.  Lance shook his head.

“It’s not important.  Well it doesn’t concern you anyways.”  Lance said.  Pidge and Hunk both stare at him.  “No matter how much you stare I will not cave in.  I have three little siblings, good luck.”  He walks away.  His friends were determined to get an answer.

* * *

Literacy was awkward as all hell due to Keith sitting in the back not doing anything.  Lance wanted to look back and talk to him but he’d rather wait till gym so they don’t get detention again.  Unless they fight, then they’ll get detention.

Class ended and Lance walked to his locker, put his things away, and walks to gym.  Lance noticed Keith leaning against a wall listening to his phone.  Lance walks up to him and tried speaking, however Keith glared and walks off.  Lance follows.

“Come on Kogane.”  Lance shouts.  “We have to talk.”  He was ignoring him, Lance ripped his earphones out.  Keith yelps and held his ears.

“THAT HURT!”

“ _ No me importa.   _ I want to know what you meant last night.”  Lance starts.  “What do you mean by you’re afraid of hurting me?”

“I never said that.”  Keith growls and took his earphones back.  Lance groans.

“Oh GOD quit being an emo for five fucking seconds and tell me what’s wrong!”  Lance said.  “You’re not going to hurt me I promise!”  Keith flicks his tongue.

“You’re a real idiot.”  He said.  “Let’s make a deal, you stay away from me and I’ll stay away from you.”  Keith walks off, Lance buries his face in his hands, causing him to push his glasses up.

“Why would you care if I get hurt.”  Lance growls.  Keith glares at him, signalling Lance to shut up.  Lance did not take the hint nor would he listen.  “I could go out right now and something bad might happen to me but that wouldn’t be your fault.”

“That’s not the same thing you moron!”  Keith growls.

“It’s not?  You’re making it sound like it’s the same thing!”  Lance shouts.  “I thought we were getting along, why are you pushing me away?  Don’t you want friends?”

“No I don’t.  Are you happy?  Did you get the answer you wanted?”  Keith shouts.

“No I didn’t!”  Lance was getting sick of him.

“Then leave me alone!”

“Great reason Kogane!”  Lance said.  “I wish I could let this go, but it’s affecting me!”  Lance points out, Keith stormed off.  “Okay yeah walk away like a… jeez  _ tirón de la mierda,  _ see if I care!”  Lance shouts.  Pidge and Hunk saw the whole thing.  Pidge had to mumble something under her breath.

“Fuck up.”  That got Keith’s attention.

“You’re lucky I can’t do anything to you Holt.”  He spat, she glares at him over her glasses.  Keith turns from her and kept walking.  She sighs and Hunk slowly looks at her.

“What?”

“Now you have some explaining to do.”  Hunk said.  “Why?”

“Not telling.”

“N-No Pidge you need to explain yourself.”  She walks into the girls changing room.  “Aw man.”

* * *

“Hey Lance you have a phone right?”  Hunk asks.  The three sat in the school’s library after school.  

“Yeah.”  Lance nods not looking up from his homework.  Hunk took his phone out.

“Let Pidge and I get your number.  I need to keep an eye on you both.”  Hunk teases.  “So what is it?”

“Hold on.”  Lance took his phone out and said his number out loud.  The two wrote it and saved it to their phone.  “Now you can bug me 24/7.  Congratulations.”  Lance continued to work.

Pidge put her DS down and looks at the two boys.

“So what should we do now?  I mean I’m bored and want to do something.”

“What do you have in mind Pigeon?”  Lance asks.  She thought for a moment.

“Spanish 101 with  _ Señor McClain _ .”  She teases.

“Ha ha, ha ha ha  _ vete al carajo. _ ”  Lance grumbles.

“Kidding kidding.  How about we go to my place and play games again.  That seemed to work last time, we had fun didn’t we?”  She asks.

“Or we could go eat out today.”  Hunk said.

“No.  I have no money.”  Pidge said.

“All in favor of that breakfast joint Pidge likes say aye.”

“YOU FUCK!”  Pidge shouts.

“Aye.”  Lance teases.

“I WILL KILL YOU MCCLAIN!”  She shouts.  Lance smiles at her sweetly.

* * *

Lance stares at the small diner in awe.  Something so cute was smack dab in the middle of the city.  The three sat at a booth and looked at the menu.  Pidge glared at Hunk when she put her menu down.  Lance flips through and about lost his shit.

“HOLY CROW CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKES?!”  He shouts.  Pidge busted a gut laughing while Hunk gave him a look.

“How old are you again?”

“I want it!”  Lance said ignoring Hunks comment.  Pidge pulled herself together.

“My brother always got that.”  She said.  “Trust me they’re good.”  Lance nods and puts his menu down.  Hunk followed and they saw the waitress come up and hands them their drinks.

“You three ready to order?”  She asks.  They all told her what they wanted and she left with a big smile on her face.  Lance got bored and played with the fork on his table, Pidge put a jam packet at the end and the two kept launching them.  Hunk groans.

“Can’t you two act your age for once?”

“I am acting my age.”  Pidge said.  Hunk smacks her head.

“You are smarter than people your age.”  He points out.  She stuck her tongue out and continued to mess around.

“Hey I recognize you.”  The three look up to see a tall man staring at them.  Only Pidge reacted by hopping out of her seat and into his arms.

“SHIRO!”

“Woah Katie!”  He starts.  “I couldn’t see you behind him.”  He looks at Hunk.  “How are you?”

“Oh I’m great!”  She said.  “It’s been forever.”

“It has, hows the idiot doing?”

“Oh Matt’s doing fine… I think.”  Pidge looks down.  “We haven’t talked in awhile.”

“Sorry bout that.”  He looks back at Lance.  “How are you?”

“Oh uh… I-”  Lance stutters, no doubt the man looked familiar.  “Y-You look familiar.”

“Obviously.”  He smiles.  Lance noticed Keith walk up to the man.  “I remember you walking out of school with this little guy right here.”  He put Keith in a headlock.  The poor boy tried breaking free.

“GOD DAMMIT LET ME GO SHIROGANE!”

“Make me.”  Shiro sang.  Lance looked confused.

“I thought your name was Takashi.”  Lance confessed.  Keith gave him a look.

“How dumb are you?”  He asks, Shiro smacks his head.

“My name is Shirogane Takashi, or Takashi Shirogane.”  He corrected.  “Everyone calls me Shiro.  Easier to remember I guess.”  He said.  “You’re Lance, correct?”

“Um… yeah.”  Lance nods.  “How did you know?”  Shiro grew a sly smirk.

“Oh a certain someone wouldn’t shut up about y-”

“LOVELY CONVERSATION SHIRO BUT WE’RE LEAVING NOW!”  Keith yanks Shiro out of the diner.

“Bye you guys.”  He waves happily.  Pidge, Hunk, and Lance all waved watching the two leave.  They all sat back down and waited for their food.  Pidge broke the silence and shot up like she discovered something.

“Keith talked about you!”  She shouts causing both boys to jump.

“What the hell Pidge.”

“That’s how Shiro knew you!”  She points at Lance.  He gave her a look and continued eating.

“Yeah right.”  Lance said.  Pidge and Hunk stare at him.

“Is everything alright Lance?”  She asks.  Lance groans.

“Keith is being so difficult right now.  He started acting up for some reason.”  Lance said.  “By the way how do you know that guy?”

“Shiro?”  Pidge asks.  “He’s my brothers best friend, been that way since elementary.  Funny thing was how opposite they were.  Shiro was quite a noble student who played a few sports and Matt was a dork.  But they never let their differences get in the way.”  She said.

“Really?”  Lance and Hunk both got interested.

“Yeah… even after the accident the two stayed close.  Even trying to accept the grouch in our lives.”  Pidge’s face dropped.  “I feel so bad for those two, living with that must be hell.”  She said, Hunk and Lance stare her down.

“What do you mean Pidge?”  Hunk asks.  Her eyes shot open and she got up quickly.

“Oh boy look at the time, I gotta run.”  She bolts off.  “See ya.”  She didn’t finish her food and left the two to pay for her.  The cuban sighs, another secret he won’t figure out soon.

After the two ate they walked out together and walked.  Lance looks at Hunk wondering about Pidge.  He noticed the stares and shook his head.

“I didn’t know Lance, she never told me she knew his family.”  Hunk said.  “I mean those two are related right?  They looked like they were related.”  Hunk said.  Lance looks at Hunk.

“I don’t know.  You think I know his family?”  Lance said.  Hunk shrugs.

“I mean you two did seem close and obviously you meant something to him.  He talked about you to that Shiro guy and-”

“No we don’t have a thing Hunk, in fact he hates me.”  Lance snaps, Hunk was taken aback.  “Sorry, let’s keep going.”  Lance apologized and kept walking.  The two boys walked around a busy neighborhood and apartments.  Hunk stops and walks into one of the buildings.  

Lance looks up at the building.

“Where are we?”  Lance asks.

“This is where I live.  Fifth floor”  Hunk said.  Lance looks up at the tall building.  “And this is where I take my leave.”  Hunk took his phone out.  “I need to harass Pidge about this issue.”

“Do you think she’ll answer?”  Lance asks.  Hunk shrugs.

“Who knows.”  He said.  “She usually hides everything.”  

“If she tells you will you text me?”  Lance asks.  “What she said, I’m really worried about her.”  Lance said.

“Yeah, and vice versa.  She tells you, you tell me.”  Hunk said.  Lance nods, Hunk gave him a thumbs up.  “See ya.”

“Bye.”  Lance said.  Hunk walks in and Lance walks from the busy city and cuts across to the downtown area, pass the strip mall.  Walks around the few dollar stores, in the dirty neighborhood and into his home.  He walks upstairs ignoring his siblings and thought about Pidge and what she said.

It made him think about his own life.  He lays on his bed and thought about it.

* * *

“Oi Lance.”  Rebecca saw Lance messing with an old action figure that belonged to Rico.  She stares at her brother wondering what’s wrong.  “You’re fidgeting.  What’s going on?”

“Nothing.”  Lance said.  “Just lost in thought.”  Rebecca sat next to him on his bunk bed and watches him mess around.

“You okay?”

“Do you think it’s healthy to bottle everything up?”  He asks.  Rebecca shook her head.

“No, you should know how bad that is.”

“If I kept it bottled up then maybe we’d be living differently.”  Lance said.  Rebecca gave her brother a concerned look.

“Sweetie is everything alright?”  She lays next to Lance and pulls him in for a hug.  He accepts and curls into her chest.

“I don’t know… I was hanging out with my friends and they brought up “life like a living hell” and I thought about us.”

“Lance, don’t blame yourself for the divorce.”

“I pushed Papa over the edge right?”  Lance asks.  “When I came out he got mad at me and smacked me… and then Mamá got hurt trying to help me and… it was a fucking mess.”  Lance remembers the whole scene so clearly.  Rebecca held him close.

“That wasn’t your fault Lance.”  She said.  “Some things you can’t control.  That man we will not call Papa blew up for something you cannot control.”

“I broke the family apart didn’t I?”

“Lance.”  Her voice was stern.  “You didn’t do that at all.  Be thankful you can be yourself now, that you can be free and love whoever you want without someone controlling you.”  She brushes her bangs back.  “Remember you’ve done nothing wrong.”

“I don’t know if that’s true.”  He said, Rebecca hugs him again.

“Lance you need to stay strong.  You’re the man of the house you know.  All of us are looking to you for support and security.  We can’t have you being down.  Okay?”  She got a smile out of Lance.

“O-Okay.”  The two stayed silent for a while.  Lance took comfort in his sister, he didn’t want to seem vulnerable, but Rebecca never judged him.  Never made him feel bad, always supported him.  She was his rock, his go to person.  He trusted her with everything, nothing was secret with her, but nothing needed to be secret.  She loved Lance no matter what.

As long as Rebecca was with him in his life he didn’t need to hide anything.  He didn’t have to bottle up his emotions.  She cared about him and wanted him to be happy, and Lance wanted the same thing.  For Rebecca to live a happy life of her own, and even if that fails they’ll still have each other.

It grew darker outside, they close their eyes hearing the car outside drive out of their driveway and let the room grow dark.  The two hear their siblings downstairs laughing, playing and watching TV together, both knowing that everything now was okay.  Lance looks at his sister and smiles, they say nothing.  Both knew that whatever happened was in the past and no one regrets what’s going on now.  Their family was happy and that’s all that mattered to them.

* * *

Keith jerks himself awake.  He looks around in a panic.  He grabs his chest and tried to breath.  Sweat pouring out of his face, looking pale as a ghost.

He got up and snuck around his apartment and took some water.  He sat on the floor of the kitchen and slowly drank it, it wasn’t calming him down nor repressing any memories he had.  The dream felt to real, he puts the glass down next to him and curls into a ball.  Trying to hold back any emotion he had kept locked up.

He didn’t want to wake anyone up, he’d bother whoever he woke up.  Keith didn’t want that, he waited for himself to calm down.

Keith slowly goes back to his room and lays down.  He didn’t want to go back to sleep, fearing he’d have that dream again.  Instead he stares at the ceiling and waits for the sun to come back up.  He just wanted that night to end.


	8. Help and Halloween

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made my Hispanic friend Marilu read the Spanish parts of this story and she either laughed or her jaw dropped saying that these guys had a foul mouth. Also that my Spanish was correct, the McClains act like a Hispanic family and she was proud of me. So yay I guess, oh and I finished this chapter in one day. Anyways enjoy the story cause it'll get "better" from here on out. >:3

Lance walks into school tired and wanting the year to end already.  However it wasn’t even the end of October so only about seven or eight more months to go.  Lance groans and hits his head into the locker.  Hunk and Pidge come in and see him whining.

“Everything alright Lance?”  Pidge asks.  Lance looks at his friends and started his usual routine.  Pidge did what she usually did and wraps her arms around the cuban boy.  Lance has accepted that Pidge does this and continues with his books.  Hunk leans against the lockers next to Lance.

“So what’s up?”  Hunk asks.

“Nothing.”  Lance said.

“Looks like you’ve seen death.”  Pidge comments.

“Didn’t sleep well.”  Lance confesses.  Pidge climbs on his back and stares at him.  He looks back at her and grabs his things for class.  “What about you Miss walk away.”

“Don’t care what you call me, I will not speak.”

“So is it okay if I don’t speak.”

“Absolutely not.”  She said.  

“How is that fair?”  Hunk asks.  “If we don’t want to share something then we don’t have to share it.”

“Fine, don’t get mad at me if I figure out.”  They walk to class and separate from Hunk.  

Lance stops near Pidge’s desk and waits for her to get down.  She crawls off his back and sits in her desk.  Lance sat right behind her and waited for their teacher to come in.

“How long have you known them?”

“Not now Lance.”

“That explains why you were never scared of him.”  He said.  “You lied to me.  You said you knew nothing about him.”

“I wish I knew nothing about him.”  She snaps.  “Listen I didn’t lie about him moving here, and how I’ve known him since.”  Pidge growls.

“You still lied to me.”  Lance said.  “What do you know about him?”

“Keith?  That he’s a fucking emo with no friends.  No matter what I or anyone did he pushed us away.  Only person he trusts is Shiro.”  She said.  “Now can we drop the topic.”

Pidge turns away.  Lance groans and looks at his desk while the teacher came in and talked about the cold war.  

“Pidge.”  He whispers.  “Do you think if he had friends he’d trust other people?”

“No, Keith pushes everyone away.  He doesn’t want friends.”  She whispers back.  “Now  shut up and pay attention.”  The two watched the teacher.  After that Lance got up and waited for Pidge to latch on to his back, she did and they walked to their next class together.

* * *

Lance noticed Keith in literacy looking as tired as ever, Lance was in the same boat.  He walks up and taps Keith’s desk.  He looks up at Lance then immediately looks down.  Lance went on his knees.

“Hey.”

“Go away.”  Keith growls.  Lance stayed near his desk waiting for Keith to speak.  Both boys stayed silent, Lance got sick of it so he spoke up after a few seconds.

“So you ready to tell me?”

“I keep telling you I don’t know what you’re talking about.”  Keith snaps.  Lance rolls his eyes, he pokes the angry boys head to mess with him.  “God GO AWAY!”

“Don’t fight me.”

“You’re annoying me!”

“I want to talk.”  Lance said.  “I don’t care what you say I’m still your ally right?”

“I have no-”

“You made it up, you cannot back out of the ally thing.  You told me we were allies Kogane.”  Lance points out.  Keith began to twitch.  “Come on and talk to me.”

Keith looks away, Lance fixes his glasses and got closer.

“I’m done.”  Keith got up.  The whole class stares at him as he walks out of the room.  “Fuck this.”

“Keith.”  Lance followed him.  Keith turned towards him and pushed him, Lance kept his balance.

“Leave me alone.”  Keith begs.  “I keep telling you to leave me alone.”  Lance stares at Keith with a sad look, almost pity.

“ _ No puedo dejarte. _ ”  Lance said.  Keith shook his head vigorously.

“GOD I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE SAYING!”  He shouts.  “JUST GO AWAY!”  He shouts.  “I SAID GO!”  Keith shoves him as hard as he could.  Lance fell back, Keith stares at him then bolts off.  Lance quickly got up and ran after him. 

Keith tried hiding but Lance saw him hide so it was pointless.

“Keith… what’s wrong… okay I’m out of breath…”  Keith glares at him.  He grabs his collar and tackles him down.

“HOW BIG OF A FUCKING IDIOT ARE YOU?!  I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!  JUST… just…”  Keith’s words died off, that didn’t stop spectators and teachers to split them up.

* * *

The two sat in front of an annoyed principal.  He sighs and stares at the two for a moment.

“You two… why?  I saw you getting along earlier… what happened?”  Neither of them answered.  “Lance you go.”

“Well…”  He thought for a moment.  “ _ Estoy preocupado por él. _ ”  The two look at him in confusion.  The secretary looks over at the office.

“He says he’s worried about him.”  She translates.  Lance felt his face get red, he didn’t think someone would understand him.  Damn that lady for knowing spanish.

“I’m glad you’re worried, but fighting isn’t the answer.”

“I didn’t start it!”  Lance said.  “Well I mean he told me to leave and I was persistent.  So it is somewhat my fault.”

“No it’s mine!”  Keith starts.  “I didn’t have to attack you.”

“I should’ve left you alone like you wanted.”

“Still doesn’t excuse me for what I did!”

“It’s my fault Keith!”

“No it’s mine!”

“Are you two seriously arguing who’s fault this is?  Let me make it easy for both of you, you’re both at fault!”  The principal shouts in annoyance.  “Jesus Christ… you two, tonight.  Any questions?”  Both look at each other then back at the principal, they spoke in unison.

“Can I call home?”

* * *

Lance and Keith sit in the detention room again.  It was decorated with halloween decorations, still dark and uncomfortable though.

The two had to stay an extra half hour since this is the second time so the two sat around and did whatever.  Lance’s leg bounced as he drew, Keith was reading again.  He looks over at Lance.

“Didn’t you take your medication?”

“It only lasts for so long.  I have to take it daily for a reason.”  Lance said.  He looks over at Keith with a new book.  “Is that one good?”

“Not really.”  He puts it down and sighs.  “Aren’t you mad at me?”

“Huh?”  Lance looks up at Keith.  Keith looks down at the desk and traced the scribbles past students have made, trying to think of the right words.  He put his head on the desk when he couldn’t think of anything.  

Lance goes back to his doodles and waited for Keith to talk.  He finally spoke up.

“This is what I meant by hurting you…”  He said quietly.  Lance looks at him again.  “I tackled you down… I hurt you when I told you I would.”  He mumbles.

“I should’ve left you alone, it’s my fault you attacked.”  Lance said.  Keith groans.

“Quit blaming yourself for trying to be nice.  Be best if we avoid each other from now on...”  Keith said, he grew silent and rests his head on his desk.  Lance looks at him.

“Why?  Don’t go quiet and answer me.”

“Cause I’m hurting you!”  Keith said.

“You leaving is hurting me!”  Lance confesses.  “You’re hurting me now… trying to stay away and silent.  I…”  Lance thought for me.  “I want to be your friend.”  The whole room grew quiet.

“You what?”

“I want to be your friend Keith.”  Lance said.  Keith shook his head.

“No!”  Keith shouts.  “Don’t you remember what I said?  I’m gonna keep hurting you, I can’t hurt you!”

“Why not?  I’ve been hurt all my life, you’d be no different.”  Lance said.  That didn’t help though.

“I can’t hurt you!”  Keith shouts.  “I can’t hurt someone like you!”

“If it’s Rebecca then I can talk to her…”  Lance remembers his sister going ape shit on Keith when she found out Lance got into a fight with Keith the first time.  Keith shook his head.

“No I don’t give a shit about her!”  He confesses.  “I can’t hurt you, you don’t deserve it!  I don’t deserve someone like you caring about me!  I don’t!”  He ran out, Lance watches in shock, he couldn’t say anything to him.  Lance didn’t notice the time but he was free to go.

He got up slowly and watched Keith walk into the car with Shiro there, he waves at Lance.  The cuban looks down and walks away, Shiro looks back at Keith trying to talk to him.  Lance kept walking and finally came up to his neighborhood.

As soon as he walks in he was greeted with a sandal to his head.  This time it was his Mom though.

“ _ ¿Cuál es incorrecto con usted? ¿Entrar en una lucha y Rebecca me dice que ha tenido problemas con este mocoso antes de? No puedo creer mi hijo está luchando contra una persona y esta no es la primera vez! _ ”

“ _ ¡Ah, Mamá lo siento! _ ”  Lance squeaks.  He ran from her and hid behind Rebecca.  “How could you do this to me?”  He asks, she looks at her brother then back at her phone.

“Your fault you got into another fight.”  She says.  Lance hugs his sister and kept using her as a shield.

* * *

Lance sat with Rebecca again that night watching halloween specials as they talked.  More like Rebecca scolding Lance for trying but that was besides the point.

“He says he doesn’t deserve friends.”

“Well then he doesn’t deserve friends.”

“Rebecca!”  Lance smacks his sister’s head.  “ _ ¡Es un buen chico, salir guardando rencor! _ ”  He scolds her.  Rebecca rolls her eyes and continues to watch TV.  Lance thought for a while.

“Lance…”  She spoke up.  “I have only one thing in common with that brat, we both don’t want to see you hurt.  So do us both a favor and stay away from him.  Please?”

“What?!”

“He obviously knows he’s a troublemaker!”

“Why are we making this all about Lance, huh?”  He asks.  “He should care about his own feelings.”

“He is.  He chose to stay away.”

“No he chose to stay away from only me!”  Lance groans and held his head.  He began to rock back and forth, it was driving him nuts.  Rebecca held Lance close and hushed him.

“Shhh, Lance.  It’s okay now, just breath Lance.  That’s it just breath.”  Her cooing calmed him down and he relaxes into her.  “That’s it…”  She smiles.

Lance stayed curled into his sister.  He watched the rest of the halloween special with her.

* * *

Halloween came by quickly, it was on a weekend so lucky for the McClain family to make their costumes.

“Sarah come on.”  Lance said.  “We need to get the balloons in the garbage bag.”  Sarah runs up to her brothers with a clear garbage bag on and smiles at her brother.

“I’m a bag of jellybeans!”

“Yes you are, a cute bag of jellybeans!”  Lance cooes.  She giggles and lets Lance and Sam stuff the balloons in the bag.

“Done.  Rebecca how is Rico?”  He asks.  Rebecca was wearing an old black dress cut up and a witch hat, with high heels.  She held up Rico with a white coat and swimming goggles.

“We have our mad scientist.”  She said.

“Mwuahahahaha.”  Rico does a fake evil laugh, that got all the siblings laughing.  Lance and Sam got their costumes ready.  Lance puts on a costume he made from one of his mother’s old dresses.  He took of his glasses and smiles, he walks up to Rebecca and poses.

“I am Prince Lance~”  He said.  Rebecca looks for a moment and smirks.

“Needs jewelry.”  She said.  Lance ran up to her room and came back with a bracelet on his right wrist and clip on earrings.

“Sarah can I borrow your crown?”  He held up her forehead crown.

“No that’s a princess crown.”  She said.  Lance puts it on anyways and smiles.

“I’m the prettiest prince in the land~”  He teases.  He saw Sam walk down in a raincoat and a rain hat.  “What the heck are you?”

“A ghost.”

“Couldn’t tell.”  Lance said.  

“Okay everyone, group photo!”  Rebecca held her phone up and got everyone in the shot.  She smiles at it.  “Mamá is gonna love this!”

“Alright let’s go!  You two have a mission, get as much candy as possible!”  Lance says 

to Rico and Sarah.

“Can do!”  Sarah said.  The elder siblings all gave the two a thumbs up and walked with them.  The streets were filled with bright store bought costumes.  The McClain family stood out since they made theirs, but they didn’t have money and they were not missing out on wearing costumes.  Lance and Rebecca regretted their costumes in a matter of minutes.

“God I’m cold.”  Lance squeaks.

“My legs are frozen.”  Rebecca said.  “Go on without me.”

“Come on you two.”  Sarah said in a demanding tone.  “Rico and I want to hit as many homes as possible.”

“Yeah!”  Rico joins her.  Lance and Rebecca whine a bit then continue to walk.  After they hit up a few neighborhoods Lance got an idea.  He texts Hunk and asks if his apartment if he had trick or treaters.  Hunk responded with an “of course” and Lance ran towards the apartment buildings, dragging his sibling along.

Lance told the two to knock on the doors and ask.  Sarah and Rico were confused and shy about the apartments but they went anyways.  They went up all the floors, when they got to the fifth floor Hunk opens up.  He was dressed as a reaper.

“Hell-Oh God it’s Lance’s family.”  He said, he looks at the family and points at Sam.  “What the heck are you?”

“A ghost.”

“Original.  Here you guys go.  What were your names again?”  He asks handing the bowl to them.  Sarah gave him a big grin.

“I’m a bag of jellybeans!”

“No your name Sarah.”  Lance said.

“I’m Sarah, this is Rico the mad scientist!”  She said.  Rico looks at him.

“Mwuahahahaha.”  He did his over the top laugh again, that caused the other four to laugh hysterically.  Hunk stares at Lance.

“Yeah I can see the family relations.”

“Hey that’s an insult!”  Lance points out.  Rebecca laughs.

“We might seem a little odd, but we’re a happy family nonetheless.”  She told Hunk.  He raises an eyebrow.

“I guess, have a Happy Halloween you guys.”

“Bye.”  The five wave and walk out of the building.  They hit the other apartments which made the eldest two happy that it was somewhere warm.  That was over shortly and the two had to embrace the cold, and their poor choices.

“N-Next year… I’m going as a fucking eskmo!”  Lance said holding his arms while walking.

“I’m going as a bear skin rug.”  Rebecca chimes in.

“Watch it be warm as fuck next year.”  Sam teases, the two groan.

“With our luck yeah.”  The two said in unison.  The five walk to the rich neighborhood and Lance points at Pidges home.  He saw the small girl sitting on the deck dressed as a ghost bride.  Lance didn’t want to tell her she looked more beautiful than scary but she’d probably deck him.

“Hello, what are you a gay prostitute?”  She asks.

“I’m a prince!”  Lance shouts.

“Whatever.”  She got up and took her phone out.  “Come on I got Hunk before he went home.”  She took a selfie with Lance.  When that was over she sat down and held the candy bowl again.  “Aren’t you three old for trick or treating?”

“Yeah we are.”  Rebecca said.  “So we send our younger siblings out to get as much candy as possible.”

“You two are the equivalent of child slaves too?”  Pidge asks.  “Damn, I feel ya… I’m the youngest kid too, Matt always used me for this.”  She gave them two pieces.  “See ya later you five.”

“Bye.”  They wave.  Sam walks up to Lance and smirks.

“You say anything about her and I will personally bury you six feet under.”  Lance threatens.

“What?  I thought she looked good, anything wrong with that?”

“Rebecca, Sam is talking dirty about my friend Pidge.”  He tattles on his brother, Rebecca smacks him over the head with her fake wand.

“ _ ¡Usted sucio poco mierda! _ ”  She snaps.  Lance giggles at Sam’s misery.

“Go to hell Lance.”

“So mean my brother is~”  Lance skips ahead and walks with Rebecca and the kids.  The five finally hit a simple middle class neighborhood full of apartments and coffee shops and small stores.  The five began to walk down and hit a few apartments.  Lance and Rebecca sighed in relief again as they walked into a few buildings.  Once they went back outside they whined again.

They saw a group of people outside a few street stores all dressed up.  Lance notices a certain someone standing away from the group.  He smirks and walks up to him.  His siblings watch him skip across the street.

“Hello~”  He smiles, Keith nearly jumps out of his skin.

“WAH!”  He looks at Lance not recognizing him at first.  He was a devil for some reason but it fit him well.  Keith looks at Lance for a moment then immediately turned red.  “W-W-What are you wearing?!”

“I’m a prince my dear~”  He winks.  Keith slaps his own face trying to recover.  “Are you okay Keith?”

“A guy shouldn’t wear that!”

“Oh I’m sorry my beauty is distracting you~”

“That’s not the word I’d use for it.”  Keith quietly admits.  

“What?”

“Nothing!”  Keith jumps.  “I thought I told you to stay away from me!”  Keith yells, Lance smirks telling Keith he didn’t listen to him one bit.  He notices all of the McClains walk up and pull Lance away.  

“Come on Lance.”  Rebecca growls.  “You can flirt with the devil later.”

“Kay, see ya~”  He finger guns towards Keith and laughs.  Keith gawks at Lance and hid his face the next second.  Sam and Sarah laughed while Rebecca groans and drags him away.  Rico stares at Keith for a moment then ran back to his siblings as fast as little legs could take him.

“You need to grow up and stop that flirting nonsense.”  Rebecca hissed.  “How could you see him without your glasses?!”

“I’d recognize that mullet anywhere.”

“You’re blinder than a fucking bat!”  Rebecca states.

“ _ ¡Eres tan grosero! _ ”  Lance whines.  “How full are your bags?”

“ _ Lleno. _ ”  Sarah said.

“Me too.”  Rico said after her.  Lance looks at Sam who pulls out two other bags.  Rebecca and Lance took the full bags from the kids.

“ONWARD!”  Rebecca shouts.  They all cheer and kept trick or treating till they went all around the city, four full bags of candy.

* * *

Rebecca, Lance, and Sam all groan as they sort through the candy.  Their Mom said since it was their idea to use the kids to get extra candy, they had to sort through it.  They sat in their pajamas tired and making two piles, throw and keep.

“Wrapper was re-wrapped.”  Rebecca threw it in the garbage pile.  “This sucks.”

“Well we deserve it, I mean we used our siblings to get a lot of candy.”  Sam said.  “Throw.”  He tossed the piece in the garbage and kept sorting.  Lance whines and falls back.  

“Are we done yet?”

“No, help us.”  Rebecca snaps.

“But Rebecca there is so much!”

“Who’s fault is that?”

“Not mine.”  He pouts, Sam threw a hershey bar at him.  Lance threw a Reese’s back.  Rebecca threw skittles bags at both of them.  Instead of sorting the three ended up throwing candy at each other for the rest of the night.

* * *

November hit and Lance walks into school with a normal expression.  He was counting down how much longer he’d have to suffer at school.  Lance starts turning his dial on his locker.  He didn’t flinch when he felt a pair of arms grab him and climb on his back.

“How are you guys doing?”  He asks.  Pidge rests her eyes on his neck while Hunk spoke to him.

“Good.  We have extra candy at my house so I’m pretty happy.”  Hunk said.  “How was trick or treating for you?”

“Fun, though we had an awful time sorting it.  In the end Rebecca, Sam and I threw it at each other.”

“Why?”  Hunk asks.

“Cause we didn’t want to sort it.”  Lance opens his locker and saw a piece of paper fall out.  “What the?”  Lance bends down and picks it up, still having Pidge cling to him.  The other two peak over his shoulder and watch him unfold it.

“What does it say?”  Pidge asks.  Lance fixes his glasses and reads it.

“It says.  “Saw your costume, you were such a sexy prince”.”  That caused Lance to drop the note and blush.  Pidge and Hunk laughed at him.

“Looks like you caught someone’s attention Lance.”  Pidge teased.

“I-I-I”  Lance stutters.  “ _ ¡OH DIOS ES TAN EMBARAZOSA! _ ”  He shouts and covers his completely red face.  His friends continue to laugh at him.


	9. Bad Days Can be Better

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a lot of editing and re editing and God I'm still unsure of it. This chapter is now the longest one I have typed for this story.  
> I'm happy for all the positive feedback this story has had. I hope you enjoy~

The first two classes Pidge would not let the note thing go.  Lance told her if she kept up he wouldn’t carry her anymore.  When first hour was over she hops on and continued to tease him.  He hits her against the lockers on his side.  That seemed to shut her up quickly.  However she got back at him by teasing him with the note thing again.  Lance groans and hid his face in his arms.

Pidge only laughs at her friends misery.  Lance runs away from her after second hour and made it to literacy after a while.  He sat in his desk and sighs in relief, he looks at the note and shoves it in his notebook.

Keith walks in and flops on his desk, earphones in and tuning the world out.  Lance smirks and walks up to Keith.

“Sup little Devil.”  Lance said.  Keith fell out of his desk in shock, his face bright red.

“L-L-Lance I uh… hi..”  Lance about fell over laughing.

“Are you okay?”  He asks.

“F-fine… I’m fine.”  He got up and sat back in his seat.  Lance smiles happily.

“Thanks to that my day has gotten better.”

“Really…”  Keith was uninterested.  Lance ignores his tone and nods.

“Yeah, I got this note this morning and it was kind of embarrassing.”  Lance said.  “I mean I thought it was sweet and all but I didn’t think anyone knew me or at least recognize me yet.  But it was still embarrassing though like I don-”

“Will you shut up?”  Keith buries his face in his arms, trying to drown Lance out.  Lance was use to his behavior so him asking Lance to shut his trap wasn’t new to him.  He instead waited for Keith to speak up.  He did eventually.  “You are testing my patience!”

“Do you care about your reputation or something?”  Lance asks.

“Go away.”

“Well do you?”

“No.”

“So why are you always looking angry and being mean?”

“I’m not mean!  Rude to assume don’t you think?”  Keith smirks, Lance giggles a bit.

“It is, but you are kind of mean.”  Lance points out.  “I mean, you’re pushing me away right?”  Keith stops at Lance’s words.  He looks down, refusing to meet Lance’s eyes.

“T-That’s for-”

“So what were you doing on Halloween, was there a party?”  Lance asks.  Keith glares at him, knowing what Lance was doing.

“Quit trying to talk to me.”  He growls, Lance pretends to be offended.  He grabs his chest and looked hurt.

“Oh I am trying to have a conversation here!”  Lance said.  Keith rolls his eyes and looks at his desk.

“I was at a party, but Shiro dragged me to it.”  Keith said.  “Why were you trick or treating?”

“My siblings were, Sam, Rebecca and I don’t care for it anymore.”  Lance said.  Keith raises an eyebrow.  “We wanted candy and mi Mamá said no more trick or treating when we hit high school!”  Lance whines.

“Grow up.”

“Never!”  Lance shouts.  Keith just stares at him and waits for him to leave.  Lance caught on.  “Okay Emo, I’m leaving.”

“I’m not an emo.”

“Don’t deny it.”  Lance smirks and walks back to his desk.   Mrs. Boston gave an assignment that the class had to choose a book and read it, then after Thanksgiving break they had to do a speech on it.  After the class groaned the bell rang and they all filed out one by one.  Lance was screwed.  He had no idea what to read.  

The speech?  No problem.  Lance was a natural when it comes to speaking and being in the spotlight, he’s a ham for it.  Reading a book, why not kill him now?  He was not looking forward to it.

* * *

Lance messed with the turkey sandwich he made while waiting for his friends to show up.  Pidge came in and sat next to him.  The two stare at each other for a moment.

“ _Se burlan de mí una vez más, a ver que pasa._ ”  Lance growls.  Pidge held her arms up in defense.  

“Okay okay… I don’t even know what you just said but I know it’s about this morning.”

“Learn some spanish.”  Lance spat.  He continued to mess with his sandwich.  Hunk came in and sat down with his tray full of food.

“You gonna eat that?”

“No.”  Lance hands Hunk his sandwich.  He dug in his bag for anything else to eat, Lance took out a candy bar and began to eat it.

“Healthy choice Lance, you’re gonna be so energized for gym.”  Pidge comments.  He flips her off and continues to eat.  She smiles and goes on her phone.  “So what’s the plan for today, all of us just sitting at home or what?”

“We can do something, I’ll have to text mi Mamá first.”  Lance said.  Pidge gave her friend a look.

“Do you have to tell your Mom everything?”

“She’s protective, after what happened to my family… well her kids are all she cares about.”  Lance looks down at his food.  He took out a pudding cup and began to eat it.  Pidge took a candy bar from Lance.

“I guess I can relate.  My Mom is always worried sick about me.  I am the only one she lives with now.”

“And this is why I cannot relate to you two, I am an only child and it’s weird when you talk about these kinds of things.”  Hunk said.

“Being an only child sucks.”  Lance said.  “My siblings and I always have each others backs when we need someone the most.  Also you borrow stuff from them and most of the time they’ll hate you for it.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”  Hunk said and goes back to his phone.  “I’m actually glad to be an only child.”

“I like being the youngest.  I’m the baby.”

“I’m an oldest… it sucks.”  Lance said.  Pidge smirked and took more candy from her friend.  “Hey my siblings worked for those!”

“Whatever.”  She kept eating.

* * *

The group stood awkwardly in gym waiting for something to come up.  Coach walks out with a big medicine ball, one that was twice the size of a regular one.  Lance looks at the size of it.

“That thing is huge.”  He points at it.

“Yeah.  Oh no.”  Pidge’s eyes grew.

“Oh no again?”  Lance asks.

“Crab soccer.”  She crawls on Lance.  “I want to be on your team for this!”  She squeaks.  Lance stares at her with a bored face.

“Why?”

“You have long legs!”  She said.  

“It might not be what you think it is.”  Hunk points out.  She only clung to Lance tighter

“I refuse to leave Lance!”  Pidge shouts at Coach.  He looks at her and rolls his eyes.  After the bell he stares at his students.

“Alright everyone time to play crab soccer.”

“I KNEW IT!”

“You’ll split in four teams, and I am splitting you two up.”  He points at Lance and Pidge.  She groans and got down.  Lance watches her walk to one side of the court.  Lance walks around and sat close to Hunk who was on another team.  The kids got numbered down and waited for the game to start.

“Okay start, number one’s out!”  A whistle blew and the one’s crawled out, Pidge was one of them.  Lance laughs at everyone crab walking.  The giant ball got kicked his way.  Lance freaks out and reached up and pushed back with the help of someone else on his team.  It landed on the other team’s goal.  Keith, who was on that team, watched it shocked that it got tossed that far.

The two’s got called out and Hunk groans and crawled out.  Lance laughs even louder.  Hunk gave up and kicked it whenever it got close to him.  It ended up going in his goal.  Hunk got up and sat back down.

“Nice one.”

“Shut up Lance.”  Hunk growls.

Three’s were up and Lance had to crawl up.  Lance freaked out when the ball came up and kicked it over his head.  He heard Pidge scream and fall back.

“Dammit.”  Lance had to laugh at her monotone swearing.  Lance goes back to his team.  Four’s got up and began to play.  Lance watched the ball waiting for it in anticipation.  It went towards Hunks team.  No one tried stopping it.

Team five went out and Keith was the slowest and least motivated.  When the other team blocked it and hit it back Keith didn’t even look and the ball crashed onto him.  He flops on his back.  Keith’s face was only described as ‘trying to comprehend what just happened.’.  Lance laughs at him, thinking that Keith’s confused face was one of the most adorable things he’s ever seen.

“You okay ‘Red’?”  Coach asks.  Keith stayed on the ground motionless, it took a bit for him to finally get up and slowly go back to his spot.

The rest of gym was Lance laughing at the comedy show that was crab soccer, he found his new favorite game next to matt-ball.

* * *

The three walk out and talked about something to do.

“So you guys want to hang out tomorrow?”  Pidge asks.  The two boys look at each other and nod.

“Yeah, I’m free.”

“I can make time.”

“Cool, see you two tomorrow.”  She runs to her Mom.  Hunk walks towards a bike and rode off.  Lance walks towards the bus turnarounds.  He noticed Hunk riding across the street getting honked at by a red car.  Lance looks in the window, he saw Keith glare and wanting to shout.  He noticed Lance staring and rolled his windows up.  Lance huffs in annoyance and ran to his bus.

Lance caught up with Sam and sat next to him on the bus.  Sam could tell that Lance was annoyed.

“ _¿Usted está bien Lance? Pareces molesto hermano._ ”  He asks.  Lance threw his head back and groans in frustration.

“ _Estoy simplemente loco a Keith. Él me mantiene evitando y lo odio._ ”  Lance said.  “ _Dijo que no quiere lastimarme pero siento como hice algo mal._ ”  He said not looking away from the ceiling.  Sam just gave his brother a look.

“ _No preocuparse por ello. Esa pequeña perra no es tuya para vigilar._ ”  Sam said.  Lance looks back at his brother with a more distressed look.

“ _Gracias a mucho Sam. ¿Estás tratando de ser Rebecca ahora?_ ”  He asks in a sarcastic tone.

“ _Puedo oír tu sarcasmo._ ”  Sam said.

“ _Mirarte, tan inteligente. Debo tengo algunas golosinas poniendo alrededor._ ”  Lance teases.  Sam began to kick him.

“ _¡Eres tan perra Lance!_ ”

“ _¡Eres la hija de puta!_ ”  Lance giggles as his brother fought him.  Lance pushes his brother’s head down and smiles sweetly.  Sam pushes him off and huffs.

“ _No puedo creer que perdí a mi hermano asno mudo que necesita gafas._ ”  He huffs out, Lance giggles while fixing his glasses.

“ _Está simplemente celoso de que puedo vencerte y gestionar quedar bien con estos en._ ”  Lance says in a sweet tone.

“ _Oh desaparece._ ”  Sam hisses.  

“Excuse me.”  The two boys stare at a girl who was across from them.  “Can you two speak english, like it’s making me uncomfortable.  So can you not?”  She asks in a demeaning tone.  Lance and Sam glare at her.  Sam looks at Lance and points at her.

“ _¿¡Qué perra puta, am yo derecho?_ ”  That got Lance to laugh.  She slaps Sam’s arm.

“Hey, you two are making me uncomfortable.”  The girl hisses.  Lance slaps her back and points at her.

“You do not slap my brother again!”  Lance hissed back.  She rolls her eyes and looks away.  Lance glares and watches the road outside.  The two got off and walked home.  Rebecca saw her brothers walk in, she waves at them happily.

“How was your day?”

“Good until some bitch slapped Sam for speaking Spanish.”  Lance growls.  “What is so evil about speaking another language?”

“Did you say something towards her?”  She asks, Lance and Sam shook their heads.

“Not at all, she told us to stop like we were offending her.”  Lance rolls his eyes.  “We didn’t say a damn thing to her until she slapped Sam.”  He sat on the couch and watched Rico and Sarah play with toy cars.  Rebecca groans and hugs Sam.

“You okay sweetie?”

“I’m fine sis.  She didn’t hurt me.”  He said.  “I’m a little shocked though.”  He stares at all of his siblings.  “I haven’t seen anyone get mad at us for speaking Spanish before.  This girl sounded like we were attacking her when Lance and I were talking about his issues with his friend.”

“I’ve been made fun of for being bilingual.  Though I let that go a while ago.”  Lance said.  Sarah looks at the car she was playing with and sighs.

“My teacher Mrs. Mallon gave me special English papers because I spoke Spanish in her class and she thought I didn’t know any English.”  Sarah said.

“Really now.”  Rebecca sat down next to Lance and Sam.  “So you guys aren’t the only ones?”

“What happened to you?”  Sam asks.  Rebecca looks down at Rico and Sarah.

“Well a Hispanic couple was lost in the hospital and I directed them to where they needed to go.  Some people gave me the dirtiest of looks.”  She sighs.

“I don’t get what the big deal was, we weren’t even talking to her.  Hell I’m surprised she heard us.”  Lance said.  

“I liked it back at home where that wasn’t an issue.”  Sarah whines.  Sam pats her head.

“Because everyone was afraid of our Papa.”  He said.  Rebecca nods.

“Hate to admit it, but that man is scary.”  She said.  All the kids nod in agreement.  The rest of the night the five hung out.  At least they won’t be judged for something so stupid when they’re at home.

* * *

School the next day was normal until Lance got called into the office.  He looks at Mrs. Boston wondering what was up.  She didn’t give him an answer but told him to go down.  He walks down to see Sam and the girl from yesterday sitting in the office.  He slowly walks in.

“Is something wrong sir?”  Lance asks walking in.  He points at a seat in front of him.  Lance sat next to Sam and waited for him to talk.

“Now boys, what is this about?”  He hands Lance and Sam a blue sheet of paper.  Lance looked at it, Sam read it for Lance.

“Harassment Form… Harassment?”  Sam asks, both boys looked up at the same time.  They were signaled to continue.  “For: offending me, talking crudely in another language, and slapping me.”  Sam read the rest.

“What?!”  Lance asks.  “You can’t be serious!”

“Now let’s talk about it.”  The principal said, he nods to the girl to speak up.  She took a deep breath and spoke.

“They were speaking Spanish-”

“The McClains are bilingual.”  The principal said.  “Now we cleared that up.”

“Well they were saying something gross and vulgar about another student and I was uncomfortable.  And I asked them if they could please stop.  They laughed at me and continued to speak, I asked again and this one!”  She points at Lance.  “He slapped me!”

“Okay, what do you boys have to say?”  The principal asks.

“That wasn’t true.”  Sam said.

“I believe the slapping, you have gotten into fights before.”  He said to Lance.  “But what is your side of it?”

“Lance and I were speaking Spanish, that was it.  It wasn’t vulgar at all.”

“Yeah she doesn’t know Spanish, if she did, it wouldn’t sound different than normal high schoolers talking.”  Lance said.  “We weren’t being vu-vulgar?”  Lance asks Sam.

“That means talking dirty and being disgusting Lance.”

“Oh.”  Lance looks back at the principal.  “We didn’t do that at all!”

“About the offensive part?”

“We never talked to her!  She overheard our conversation that she didn’t understand!”  Lance said.

“Lance and I are still trying to fit in.  We wouldn’t talk to some random person and try speaking Spanish.”  Sam said.

“The slapping?”

“He did hit me!”  The girl said.  The principal looks at the sheet.

“You have witnesses?”

“Yeah, they’ve seen it all.”  She said.  He called the witnesses down.  Lance and Sam notice the people.  Sam points at one of the girls.

“Hey you’re not on our bus!”  

“Can you guys tell me what happened?”  The principal asks.  Their stories were a lot like the “victim's”.  All of them points at Lance and said he did slap her.  He glares at Lance.

“Lance?”  He was waiting for Lance to say something.  Lance stayed silent for a moment, finally he broke and points at her.

“She slapped Sam first!  Yeah I slapped her but she started it and no one slaps my younger brother!  I can’t help that this little brat is a racist who can’t handle Sam and I speaking another language!  We were not doing anything wrong!”  He shouts.  The girl looks at him shocked, so did the witnesses.  

“You kids can go back to class.  Samuel, Lance stay here.”  Everyone left.  “You two will be let off the hook.  But if anything like this happens again then there will be consequences.”

“Yes sir.”  The two walk out and saw her walking with her friends, she gave them a dirty smirk as she walked away.  Lance and Sam walked together, Sam kicks the wall.

“EL HIJO DE PUTA!”  He shouts.  Lance grabs Sam.

“Sam calling her names isn’t going to change what just happened.”  Lance tried calming his little brother down.

“This isn’t fair!  Mamá told me to stay out of trouble this time and look what happens.  We get in trouble for NO.  REASON!”  Sam about cried.  “I don’t want to disappoint Mamá.”  The two boys sat in the hallway till the bell rang.  Lance held Sam close and comforted him.  Sam curls into his brother and tries calming down.  Sam finally got a hold of himself but Lance refused to let him go till the bell rang.  

The bell rang and the two walk into the cafeteria, Lance walks towards his group and sat next to Pidge and Hunk.  Pidge hands Lance a chocolate bar.

“Here buddy.”

“Thanks.”  He took a huge bite.  The two looked at their friend.

“You okay man?”  Hunk asks.  Lance shook his head.

“No I’m not okay.”  He said.  “Sam and I are in trouble for speaking Spanish.”  Pidge and Hunk roll their eyes.  “I hate this place sometimes.”

“What did you say exactly?”  Pidge asks.

“Does it matter?  The person who reported us didn’t know a word of Spanish.”  Lance finished his chocolate bar begrudgingly.  

“Well how about we hang out tonight.”  Pidge said.  “We could hang out in the cafe area and forget about today.”  She said.  Lance pushes up his glasses and thought for a moment.

“Yeah… I’ll go out tonight.”

“Okay.”  Hunk high fives them.

* * *

The group went to change for gym.  Lance got done quickly and sat in the gym, Keith was standing next to him at the loner wall.  Lance looked at him then back at the gym, Keith spoke up.

“What happened?  You got called down.”

“Why would you care?”  Lance asks.  Keith looks down and kicks at the sand.

“I-I was just curious.”  Keith said.  Lance felt bad, but Keith made it clear that he didn’t want to be friends.  Lance was still hurt by that rejection, plus he wasn’t happy.  “Sorry.”

“Whatever.”  Lance walked off to meet up with Pidge and Hunk.  He didn’t show it but what he just said to Keith was killing him inside, and he knew it hurt Keith as well.

* * *

Lance sat in the area Pidge told him to hang out.  He groans waiting for his friends.  Finally Pidge texts him saying that she had to help her Mom with chores.  Lance got a message from Hunk a few minutes later saying that he had too much homework.

Lance shoves his phone in his pocket and walks around.

“I’ll hang out on my own.  One man party.”  He growls and kicks a rock.  After walking for awhile he started feeling cold.  He notices a small coffee shop and decides to go in.  He had money so he could probably buy something.  He walks in and saw it was completely empty.  He creeps in and noticed a woman at the counter reading.

She had dark skin and long white hair in a ponytail  She looks up from her book and waves, she had bright blue eyes that popped out.  She had makeup on, making her look like a fantasy princess.  Lance was completely flustered, she was gorgeous.  

“Hello.”  She said, her British accent strong.  “Can I help you?”  Lance got closer and looks at the menu.  He looks back down and saw something odd about her.  He decides to ignore it and look around the place.

“Um… what is this place?”

“You must be new.”  She held her arm out.  “I’m Allura.  It’s pleased to meet you.”

“I-I’m Lance.”

“Wait… you’re Lance?  Lance McClain?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Nothing nothing.”  She brushed it off.  Lance was confused how she knew him.  “Welcome to The Lion Cafe.  What can I get you.”

“Uh…”  Lance looks at the menu and tried reading it fast.  It was sectioned off by color.  “Where’s warm drinks?”

“That’s under the Red Lion.”  She said.  “Unless you want something more organic.”

“No I’m fine.”  Lance read the Red section.  “Can I take a hot chocolate?”

“Milk?”

“Yes please.”  Lance nods.

“That’ll be fifteen dollars.”  Lance pulls out a twenty and hands her the money.  She hands him a five back and walks back to the kitchen.  Lance watched Allura making the hot chocolate, he was surprised that it was from scratch.  She looks up at him.

“I have marshmallows, want one?”

“Uh… sure thanks.”  He heard a plop and she came out with his hot chocolate.  

“Here you go.”  She said.  Lance about walked off to a random table when she stopped him.  “Come talk to me, I’m so bored here.”  She said.  “Come come it’s my store anyways!”

Lance agrees and walks towards her.  He took a random chair and sat next to her.

“It’s nice to finally meet you.  I’ve heard a lot about you from my brother.”  Allura said happily.

“Who’s your brother?”

“Oh…”  She pauses.  “Well he’s not my brother, he’s my boyfriends brother.  But I consider him family all the same.”  She took out her own drink and smiles.  “Lately he’s stopped talking about you though.  I’m a little worried about him.”

“Don’t be.”  Lance said.  “Trust me when I say that siblings are hard to understand.  If he’s having issues have his brother talk to him.”  Lance took a sip and pulled it away.  Allura laughs.

“Careful it’s hot.”  She said in a playful tone.  Lance sighs and lets it cool off.  The two thought about something to talk about.  “How’s life in the city, you use to it yet?”

“Kind of.  I’ve been here since the end of August so only three months.”  Lance held up three fingers.  “I lived in a smaller city then this.  Wasn’t really a town but it wasn’t this big either.”  He looks at Allura who had her full attention on him.

“I see, unlike you this city has always been my home.”  Allura said.  “Since this city is huge I rarely see anyone from my class.  Not a bother though, I hardly had any friends.”  That shocked Lance.  She was so accepting and beautiful how could someone not be her friend.

“What do you mean you hardly had any friends?”

“Oh I was an odd kid, I stayed far from people and kept to myself and the things I liked.”  Allura smiles.  “It’s not till I started this business that I became social.”  She held her arms out.

“So you became social, let me guess you met your boyfriend here?”

“Oh no.”  She shook her head.  “I met him somewhere else.  Under unusual circumstances.”  She said.  Lance had to ask the age old question.

“Not to be creepy but how old are you?”  Lance asks.

“Oh I’m nineteen.”  She said.  Lance’s jaw dropped.

“Nineteen?!”  She nods.  “And you run a business?!”  

“When my Father proposed I go to college I said I wanted my own business instead.”  She said looking at her cup.  “So far it’s been doing well.”

“So is this your dream?”  Lance asks.

“Yes.  This is my dream.”  Allura said.  “I meet some great people and some interesting

Usuals.”  She stops.  “Enough about me, what about you?”

“What about me?”  Lance asks.  He liked talking about himself, but he’d rather know more about Allura.  She seemed so interesting.

“What’s your life like?  Any friends, family, significant others?”  She wiggles her eyebrows at that, Lance blushed and looks away for a second.

“Um… I am single still.  I have two friends, trying to befriend someone.  As for family I am the third child in my family of six kids… well five as of now.”

“Oh no, is everything alright?”  She asks.  Lance shook his head.

“No no everyone of my siblings are alive.”  Lance said.  “Just one of them is living with my Dad.”  Lance said.

“What about your friends?”  Allura asks.

“Well my friends are Hunk, he’s a great guy.  Super nice, always helpful.  He also loves food.  Then there is Pidge, she’s a nerd.  But really smart and is kind of rude.”

“Then I consider myself an acquaintance of this kid named Keith.”  Lance looks down at the floor.  “He doesn’t want me to be his friend.  He seems to hate me now, everytime I get close he pushes me away.”  Lance looks back at her.

“I understand though.  He doesn’t want to open up, I can relate.”  Lance tried to hide his emotions with a smile.  “So it’s okay, I know that he isn’t really a people person and no-”

“Is it really okay?”  Allura interrupts him.  Lance looks at her in silence.  “I can see it.  You hate that he pushes you away.  You want to be close to him.”  She smiles.  “Am I wrong?”

Lance didn’t say anything.  He just stayed silent, Allura waiting patiently for a response.  Lance took a deep breath and answered.

“It isn’t.  I’ve told him that it hurts… but I never thought about it till now.”  Lance rubs his face.  “It’s frustrating, hard, but I don’t know what to do.”  He said.  “I should give up but I don’t want to let go.  He needs friends, he needs people who won’t look at him like he’s the worst person in school.”

“I don’t know I just don’t want him to be alone, he doesn’t deserve it.”

“And you don’t deserve to be pushed away.”  She said.  “Lance I admire you trying hard.”

“Are you telling me to give up?”

“No.”  Allura shook her head.  “I’m saying to keep going, never give up.  Maybe this kid is pushing you away for good reasons but you stay strong and break through.  Be his friend, give him that companionship he needs.”  She grips Lance’s shoulder.  “Do not give up.”

Lance looks at her, a big smile grew on his face.

“Yeah!”  He nods.  Lance got up and grabs his hot chocolate.  “I’ve gotta go, is this place open all the time?”

“From nine to eleven.  Every day.”  Allura said with a smile.  “Hope to see you again Lance.”

“Yeah, you too!”  Lance ran out feeling positive, after the shit day he had Allura made it better.

He ran home and saw Rebecca waiting on the couch watching Sarah and Sam play on their N64.  Lance walks in and watches.  

“Having fun?”  He asks Sam, he growls.

“ _¡Ella es un puto tramposo!_ ”  

“Am not!”  Sarah shouts.  “Mario Party is luck, you suck at it.”

“Take that back!”

“Never!”  The two shout at each other.  Lance smirks, his siblings were always competitive.  After their game Lance and Rebecca joined the two.

Rico walks down and sat in Sam’s lap and watched his siblings play.  Their game went as followed.

“Lance I swear if you roll a ten I will ki- _¡PUTO INFIERNO!_ ”  Rebecca shouts, Lance snickers and moves around the board.  The mini game starts and it lands on bumper balls.

“I suck at this one!”  Sam shouts.  All the kids went after Sam.  “I HATE YOU ALL!”  They all laughed at him, till Lance fell.

“Oh you mother!”  He growls.  Sarah and Rebecca were last.

“Sarah if you love me you’d let me win.”  Rebecca said in a pleading voice.

“ _Supongo que no te quiero._ ”  She knocks Rebecca off.

“Oh I hate you!”

“Lol, get rekt!”  She stuck her tongue out and smirks.  Lance felt proud at that moment.

“No more hanging out with Lance.”  Rebecca said in a bored voice.  After a few more mini games and cursing the kids turned it off.

They all sat on the couch and watched an old black and white movie on the TV.  Rebecca’s cell went off, she checks it and smiles.  Lance looks at her and smirks.

“Who is texting you?”  He asks in a sly voice, she quickly puts it down.

“Oh um… no one?”

“Guys?”  Lance got the other three’s attention.  “I think Rebecca is hiding a boyfriend from us.”  They all gave her the signature McClain smirk.  Rebecca hid her phone from them.

“I am not.”  A long pause.

“GET HER!”  Lance shouts.  All of them jump their big sister and try taking her phone.  She giggles and tries fighting them off.  Rico got her phone and held it up in victory.

“No!”  She tried getting it back from her little brother.  Lance took it and read her message.  He smirks.

“Who’s Daniel?”

“A boy I met at the mall!”  She took it back.  “I’ve made friends you know.”

“Ooooooooh, Rebecca’s got a boyfriend~”  Lance teases, all of them giggle at her.  She turned red.

“I-I do not!  Daniel is a friend!”  She shook her head in protest.

“Say “I love you Daniel~”  Lance teases.

“Or “You’re cute Daniel~”  Sam mocks her.

“Hi.”  Rico texts Daniel hi.  Rebecca gasps and took her phone back.  Everyone laughs at her.

“Guys please!”  She whines.

“Relax _hermana,_ we’re just teasing.”  Lance said.  She glares and walks away to put her phone in her room.  The other four look at each other then began to giggle.


	10. And Thus We're Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Behold a 14 page chapter. God this was so long but I typed it in a day because I was so invested in it. So here you go, enjoy.

Lance walks in and was greeted by Pidge and Hunk.  He lets Pidge hop on his back and talks to Hunk.

“Guys you will not believe where I went when you both ditched me, by the way you two suck and I hate you.”

“Hey I’m sorry okay?  I was trying to leave but oh no I had to do homework-”

“Where did you go?”  Pidge asks, interrupting Hunk.

“I went to this cafe run by a sweet lady named Allura.”  He said.  “It was so quiet and great!”

“Sounds lame.”  Pidge said and nuzzles into his shoulder.  Lance rolls his eyes and walks down with the two.

“I am sorry for not making it!”  Hunk whines.  “You forgive me right?”

“No, I cannot forgive you.  You both left me and it wounded me.”  Lance was being over dramatic.  “I feel my heart shatter.”  Pidge took Lance’s glasses.  “HEY I NEED THOSE TO SEE!”

“And I need my breakfast to stay in my stomach so shut up.”  She said, Lance groans and took them back.  

* * *

In Mrs. Boston’s class, kids could either read or find a book to read.  Lance looked around trying to find something that would be easy to read.  It didn’t matter the size of the book he was going to hate it anyways.  Keith was sitting in one of the comfy chairs and reading a very thick book.  Lance was almost intimidated by the size.

Keith saw Lance look around trying to find something.  He pulls out a random book and threw it at him.  It nailed him in the back of his head.

“GAH!”  He picks it up.

“Read whatever that is and stop walking.”

“I WILL NOT READ 50 SHADES OF GREY!”  Lance shouts.  Everyone looks at him, he hid his red face and put it back on the shelf.  “Why does our school library have this?”

“Cause it’s popular.”

“What are you reading?”  Lance asks.

“Uh… “Name of the Wind”.”  Keith said.  Lance smirks.

“You like fantasy don’t you?”

“It’s okay.”  Keith said, he tried hiding his face.  Lance’s smirk never left his face.

“Well you go on reading your Neverland story, I still got to find something.”

“Good luck.”  Keith said.  

“Oh by the way.”  Lance started up again.  “It’s okay to read those, not okay to try hiding yourself in them.”  Lance said.  “Stay in reality okay?”  

“Whatever.”  Keith went back to his book, trying to ignore Lance.

“I’m serious.”  Lance said.  “See ya.”  Lance walks away from the grumpy mullet and tried finding a book again.  His mission ended in failure and walked out of the library empty handed.

* * *

“What do I do?”  Lance whines.  His friends look at him not knowing how to help.  “Guys what do I do about the project?”

“Read a fucking book.”  Pidge said.

“I can’t!”  Lance whines.  “Hunk can you read a book for me?”

“Oh sure Lance I have enough time to do your homework, not like I have my own or anything.”

“Okay!  Jeez I’m sorry for asking.”  Lance said.  “Look guys what do I do?  I suck at reading and I can’t find a book cause I hate reading.”

“Maybe ask someone who likes reading what they recommend.”  Pidge said.  Lance thought about asking.  Keith loves reading, it’s his escape after all.  Though he’s not the best to ask since he told Lance they should stay away.  He’s not good at staying away though.  He saw Allura with a book, so she’s his best option.

* * *

After school Lance told Sam that he wasn’t riding the bus and to tell Mamá that he wasn’t going to be home.  He creeps in and see’s the cafe empty like always.  Allura was sitting in her seat happily reading again.  She looks up and waves happily.

“Nice to see you again.”  She says.  Lance walks up and pulls a chair up and sat next to her.  “Hey can you help me, this book has something I cannot understand and I forgot my phone.  Can you Google translate this line?”  She hands Lance her book.

He struggles to read it.  He prevailed and found the spot.

“ _¿Eres mi luz del sol?_ ”  He asks.  “That means “you are my sunlight”.”  Lance hands it back.  Allura gushes.

“Aw, so romantic~”  She said.  “I didn’t know you spoke Spanish.”  Lance rubs the back of his head.

“Yeah, my whole family can.  Kind of a necessity in my house.”

“Where are you from?”  She asks.  Lance was taken aback.  Most people assumed he was a Mexican and moved on.  He was touched that someone actually asked.

“Cuba.”  He said happily.

“Oh you’re Cuban huh?”  Allura asks.  Lance nods in excitement.

“You’re the first person who’s asked and not called me a Mexican!”  Lance said.  Allura giggles.

“Well I’m glad I made your day.  So what’s up, you seem like you want something.”

“Oh right.”  Lance remembers what he needed.  “What kind of books do you recommend?  I need to read something for class and I’m having a hard time.”

“Okay.”  Allura nods.  “Well it depends on what genre you like.”

“It doesn’t matter, I hate reading.”

“Well how am I going to help you?”  She asks.

“Just what do I read?”  He begs.  “What’s a short book!”

“The “Narnia” books are short.”  Allura thought.  “Though you’ll have an easier time finding the collection instead of the individual books.”  Lance groans and tilts his head back.  Allura gave him a look.  “Did you just orgasm or something?”

Lance gave a wide eyed look and stares at her face red.

“NO!  I-I’m frustrated!”  He said.  She pokes his cheeks.

“Why so embarrassed dear?”  She asks.

“Oh I don’t know, you asked if I had an orgasm!”  Lance shouts.  Allura giggles like a young child.  Lance now learning that Allura gets too comfortable to easily and she’s a child.  “Are you sure about the “Narnia” series?”

“Yes, now go!”  She said.  “I love spending time with others but school comes first.”  She scolds Lance.

“Says the girl who chose a cafe over college.”  Lance said.  Allura points at the door smiling.  He sighs, before he could walk out he bumped into someone.

“Oh hey Lance.”  Lance looks at who he bumped into.

“Oh, Shiro right?”  Lance asks, Shiro nods, he looked more worried.  “What are you doing here?”

“Nothing, have you seen Keith anywhere?”  Shiro asks in a panic.

“No not since school today.”

“Oh God.”  Shiro groans.  “Allura I tried calling you.”

“My phone’s at home.”

“Yeah I learned that quickly.”  Shiro tosses her her phone.  “I can’t find him anywhere.”

“What happened?”  Lance asks.  Shiro grabs his head.

“He told me something kind of surprising and ran off like I was mad at him.  I swear he was about to cry when I asked him if it was true.  I am the worst brother.”

“I’ll call in case I see him.”  Allura said.  Shiro nods, Lance looks at him.

“Want me to help?”  Lance asks.  “I was going out today anyways so I may spot him.”

“No it’s fine, he’ll come back eventually.”  Shiro said.  “If you do see him tell him to come home and that I’m not mad at him or anything like that.”

“Okay.”  Lance nods.  “Well I’m going to the library…”  Lance thought for a moment.  “By any chance do you know where the library is?”

“How could I not?  A certain someone likes sneaking off there, though he’s not there.  Yeah it’s across town near the park.  You’ll see it, it’s kind of on a cliff looking out towards the water.”  Shiro points.

“Thanks Shiro.”  Lance walks off.  “Oh and if you find him, tell Keith I said hi.”

“Can do.”  Shiro smiles.  Lance starts the long trek back home.

He passes all the shitty stores that his Mom goes to, some old building that he never noticed till Sam pointed out, and all of his neighbors with shitty homes and dead grass covering their lawns.  Lance swore they have a competition on who’s lawn is shittier.

He walks into his home and finds his sister on the couch listening to music.  Lance walks over and gave her big puppy eyes.  She looks at him and sighs.

“What do you want Lance?”

“Can you drive me to the library so I can find a book for homework?”  He asks sweetly.  She got up and grabs the van’s keys.

“You’re lucky Mamá takes the bus to work.”  Rebecca hisses.  “Sam I’m taking our useless brother to the library, you’re in charge till we get back.”

“Roger.”  Sam said.

“Let’s go.”  Rebecca pushes him out.  “Why didn’t you do this earlier?”

“I went to ask someone what I should read.”

“Oh it’s a free reading book?”  She asks in anger.  “God dammit Lance learn to read.”

“I know how to read!  I hate reading cause it’s boring and I get to distracted way too easily.”  He said.  

“Okay I understand.”  Rebecca nods.  The two drive around for almost a half an hour not finding the library.  Rebecca became frustrated.  “WHERE IS THIS PLACE?!”

“Shiro said it was near a park, on a cliff that overlooks water.”  Lance said.  Rebecca kept looking around for a building near a park on a cliff.  Finally they found it.  There was no sign or any indication that it was the library, hell Rebecca swore they passed it more than once.

They walked in and saw all the books and chairs, it smelled like mothballs and despair.  There was multiple floors, the higher you went the older the books became and the creepier it got.  They passed the old librarians and noticed how many young people actually came to the library.  It was safe to say that the McClains hardly set foot in a library.

Lance went to the computer and looked up the book Allura recommended.  Rebecca watches and gave him a look.

“Really?  You’re gonna read that?”

“Allura said it was short.”

“You keep saying these names like I know these people.”  Rebecca points out.  Lance ignores her and looked at the section they were in.  The fourth floor, section N.  Lance and Rebecca slowly look up, four floors in total.

They had to go to the top floor, they both whine and walk up the stairs to reach the creepiest floor.  The two noticed that the higher you went the less space you had.  The top floor was hard to walk around in.  Also no chairs or anywhere to sit, unless you prefered the floor.

“Oh Lance this is so creepy.”  Rebecca whines.  Lance agreed, grey paint, windows blocked by bookshelves, and dust and cobwebs dominate the top floor.

“Hey found a chair.”  Lance points at it.

“Oh nice one wooden chair in this freaky place.”  Rebecca hisses.  “This place is making me claustrophobic.”

“Quit whining.”  Lance said as he snuck into the N section and looked for the book.  He found seven books.

“Uh which one is first?”  Lance asks.  Rebecca shrugs.

“Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe?”

“Wasn’t that the first movie made?”

“It might be the first book.”  Rebecca said.  Lance took the book and walked down with his sister.  They checked it out and walked out of the library, it started to rain.  The two ran to her car and drove off.  “That place was so creepy.”  She whines, she looks at Lance who was looking at the cover.  It was all torn up and ugly looking, the pages were eggshell colored and some ripped on the corners.

“That book has seen better days.”  Rebecca said, Lance looks at his sister then back at his book.  

“You think it’s any good?”

“I don’t know I never read the book.”  She said.  The two kept driving, letting the rain comfort them.  Lance watches outside, seeing everything go by quickly.  He about missed it but something caught his eye, or someone.

“Rebecca…”

“What?”  She asks.

“Go back.”

“What?”  She gave him a look like he was a dumbass.

“Go back I saw someone!”  Lance said.  “Rebecca!”

“God do not start whining.  Fine I’m going back.”  She backed the van up and Lance rolled down his window.  The figure he spotted looked up, he knew it.  Even under a hoodie he’d recognize him.

“Keith?”  Lance asks, he looks down.  “What are you doing here, shouldn’t you be at home?”  No answer.  Lance began to unbuckle himself and opened the door.  “Wait a bit okay Rebecca?”

She said nothing, she only glares at Lance.  He knew his sister wasn’t fond of Keith, but she listened to her brother’s request and pouts in the driver’s seat waiting for him.

Lance walks over to Keith who was soaked and shivering in the cold.

“You know Shiro is looking for you right now.”  No answer.  “He didn’t tell me what happened between you two, but he said he wasn’t mad at you and he’s worried sick.”  No answer.  “Keith come on you’ll get sick if you stay out here.”  Lance reached for him.

Keith flinched and wouldn’t look up.  Lance slowly reaches for him and held his shoulders.

“Come on let’s take you home, okay?”  Lance asks.  Keith shook his head.

“I can’t.”  He whispers.

“But Shiro is looking all over for you.”  Lance said.  “Rebecca and I can take you back.”

“No.”  Keith shook his head.  “Just leave me alone!”

“If you think I’m leaving you out in the fucking rain on a November night then you must be crazy.”  Lance said.  “If you won’t go home then I’m bringing you back to my place.”

“No!”

“Don’t fight me Keith.”  Lance said, he saw Keith giving him a scared look.  “Don’t be afraid of hurting me.  Just let us take you in till you’re ready to go home.”  Lance said in a calm voice.  Keith looks down then finally nods, Lance sighs with relief.  

He leads Keith to the back of the van and he walks back to the front, his sister was beyond pissed.  She overheard the last part and was not happy with Lance at all.

“ _No llevamos lo casa con nosotros._ ”  She growls.

“Yes we are.”  Lance said.  She grunts.  “Oh grow up Rebecca!”  He snaps.  Rebecca begrudgingly drove home.

* * *

Keith looked at the home in surprise.

“Yeah it sucks but it’s all we got.”  Lance said.  “Come on.”  He lead Keith in, all the siblings look back.

“Yo you two fina-”  Sam paused at the new person who came into his home.  “WHAT IS HE DOING HERE?!”  Lance grabbed Keith’s shoulders to keep him from walking out, which he about did.

“Keith is having some issues at home so he’s staying here tonight.”  Lance said.  Sarah looks up and smiles brightly.

“Princess!”  She waves at him, Keith continued to look at the floor.  He could feel all sorts of emotions at that moment and they were not all positive.  Rebecca walks in and heads towards the kitchen.

“What did Mamá make for supper tonight?”  Rebecca asks as she looked around.  Her face suddenly lit up in joy.  “Ooooh _Pollo Asado!_ ”  She squeaks.  “She even made rice!  Oh I love Mamá!”

“Mamá made _Pollo Asado?!_ ”  Lance asks in excitement.  “Yes!”  Lance ran in, Rebecca stops him.

“It’s gotta warm up dumbass.”

“Jeez, fine fine.”  Lance said.  “I gotta change out of these clothes anyways, fucking soaked.”  He looked around and noticed Keith left.  “Where did he go?”

“He walked upstairs.”  Sarah said.  Sam was holding Rico like a shield in case Keith tried anything.

Lance walked up and noticed Keith was in his room, he saw the window leading to the roof.  Keith climbed out and sat on it while it was still raining outside.  Lance ran towards the window.

“Keith you’ll get sick!”

“This is cool.”  He comments.

“Come back inside!”

“You could star gaze out here.”

“KEITH!”  Lance whines.  He went out and dragged Keith back in.  “One you’ll get sick, and two WHAT IF YOU FELL?!”

“There’d be grass and mud.  It wouldn’t hurt that badly.”

“Keith it would hurt.”  Lance said.  “You might want to take a shower, when was the last one you took.  And I will not count the rain as one.”  Keith thought about it.

“I don’t remember.”  Keith said.

“Oh EW!”  Lance took a step back.  “YOU’RE A TEENAGE BOY KEITH!   _¡AH ASQUEROSO!_ ”  Lance shouts.  He drags Keith into the bathroom.  “I’ll bring you some of my clothes, so please get cleaned up.”

“Are you sure I can use this?”  He points at the shower.

“Yes!  Please for all that is holy get cleaned up.”  Lance said.  He walks out went into his room to change.  He got his shirt and pants off and dug for a new clothes.

“It’s coming out cold.  I don’t know what to do.”  Keith comments while walking in.  He stops at the door, Lance looks at him.

“Home is where you know how to use the shower.”  Lance laughs.  “I’ll help in a second so… you okay?”  Lance noticed how red Keith was.  “You’re not sick are you?”

“N-No no no I’m not sick, I-Er I why…”

“Jesus dude calm down!”  Lance panics.  “I’m trying to find clothes.”  Lance found some sweat pants and quickly put them on.  “Come on.”  Lance walks back to the bathroom and fiddles with the shower.  Warm water came rushing out.  “I’m gonna go get you clothes, you can get in now.”  Lance walks back to his room, Keith stayed still till Lance came back with clothes for him.  Lance came back in with some.

“They might be long cause I’m taller and all but they’ll fit I’m sure.”  Keith nods and began to unchange.  Lance shuts the door and walks downstairs trying to get his own shirt on.  Rebecca was heating up supper for everyone while the others were watching TV.

“Where’s you know who?”  Sam asks in fear.

“Taking a shower.  He’s not scary so man up.”

“Make me!  That guy has won so many fights with my friends, he’s fucking scary!  I mean those eyes.”  Sam said while hiding behind Rico.

“Yeah… those eyes that make him look like some lost puppy.”  Lance comments.  “You’re a fucking wuss.”

“You’ve gotten into a fight with him!”  Sam said.  “It hurt right?”

“Yeah.”  Lance said.  “Dude almost broke my nose.”

“The why the hell did we bring him here?”  Rebecca comments from the kitchen.

“Cause he’s scared and upset right now that’s why!  I’m not letting him wander in the rain when it’s almost winter!”

“His fault for running out like a little bitch.”  Rebecca shouts.  Lance looks at Sarah.

“You like Keith right?”

“I love Princess!”  Sarah said.  “He’s so pretty~”

“Only one person on my side.”  Lance said.  Sam went back to watching TV while Sarah played with Rico’s cars.  Rico joined her a few minutes later.  After a bit Keith came down, Lance choked on laughter.  The pants were too long and covering his heals and the shirt was sliding of his left shoulder.  His face looked almost too precious for him, his eyes grew in size and looked at him in confusion.

“Are you okay?”  Keith asks.

“I’m fine.  Damn those are way too long for you.”  He said.  Keith sat next to Lance uncomfortably and watched Sarah and Rico play with cars.  He kicks Sarah’s car over and smiles.

“Hey!  Princess is attacking, strike back!”  Sarah shouts, her and Rico hit his toes with their little cars, Keith giggles and brought his feet up.  “Get back here and fight us!”  He didn’t say anything, but his smile never left.

“Oi Keith.”  Rebecca calls sounding aggressive, he looks up at her.  “You like chicken right?”

“Y-Yeah.”  He nods.

“Good cause that’s what we’re having.”  She went back in, Keith stayed silent.  He knew not everyone in the house liked him.  He felt so awkward sitting in a home that wasn’t his, he’s never been over to anyone's home unless it was a new one he had to move into.  

Rebecca came out with _Pollo Asado_ and gave everyone a plate and a fork.  Keith stares at it and gave Lance a look.

“What’s in the rice?”

“Um, peppers?  You don’t want it?”

“No I was just curious I guess.”  He picks at the chicken, Rebecca glares at him.

“If you don’t want it then don’t eat it!”

“What is it anyways?  Poyo.. Asa-”

“ _¿Pollo Asado?_ ”  Lance asks, Keith nods.  “Dude that literally means grilled chicken.”

“That’s it?”  Keith asks.  “Why didn’t you say that?”

“We did.”  Rebecca said.  Keith gave a confused look then quietly ate.  All the McClain kids were quiet, it was bugging the hell out of them cause usually they’re loud and having fun.  Keith’s presence made everything awkward and uncomfortable.

“Do you guys want something to drink?”  Rebecca asks, wanting to get away from Keith.  All the kids nod.

“Okay I’ll be back.”  She gave everyone a glass of milk and sat down and ate again.  Keith stared at it not knowing what to do.  He puts it down and ate again.  Rebecca became annoyed.  “Seriously?  What’s wrong now?!”

“Um… I’m…”

“What?  Spit it out already!”

“I’m lactose intolerant.”  Keith said quietly.  Everyone stares at Rebecca, she groans and took the glass back into the kitchen.  She hands him a juice pouch and ate again.  Keith quietly finished his food, trying not to piss off Rebecca.

All of the kids went upstairs early.  Lance stayed with Keith.

“So are you going to go home or stay here?”  Lance asks.

“Stay.”  Keith fell over on the couch and curled up.  “I’m scared to face Shiro.”

“Well you can sleep here.”  Lance said.  He noticed how uncomfortable he was.  Lance wanted him to feel better, that right now he can breath.  “Hey you like movies?”

“I’ve told you I don’t watch a lot of TV.”  Keith said.

“Hold on!”  Lance ran upstairs and came back with a DVD.  “Ta da~”

“If it’s a slice of life I’m gonna hate it.”  Keith said.  “I hate things that represent real life.”

“No no no it’s Disney.  Have you seen Studio Ghibli?”

“What?”  Keith asks.  “Is that another Spanish thing?”

“No it’s Japanese.”  Lance said.  “Rebecca and I like anime a lot so we stole this from our older brother.”

“You have another sibling?”  Keith was stunned.

“Oh yeah… I forgot about him.”  Lance said.  “Anyways this is full of fantasy stories.  Things you may like~”  Lance winks.  “You can pick which one we watch.”

“I don’t know if I’ll like anime.”

“You’ll like this guy, trust me he’s a master.”  Lance put the DVD in and turned the TV on.  While they waited for everything to boot up Lance looked at him.  “Why are you so scared of Shiro?  What happened?”  Keith looks down and kicks at the cars on the floor.  

“I came out and told Shiro.”  Keith said.  “I had to say it sooner or later so today I did.”

“You came out?”

“I’m gay.”  Keith said.  Lance was shocked, he made light of the situation though.

“Explains why someone as good looking as you is still single.”  Lance teased.  Keith blushed at the comment.  “Okay I’m sorry about that, I’ll take it ba-”

“No no it’s fine, just surprised.  You think I’m attractive?”

“I’m sure everyone thinks you’re good looking.”  Lance confesses.  “So you think Shiro is mad at you?”

“I know he is, or at least upset.”  Keith looked down sadly.  Lance knew that feeling well, the thought of someone hating you for something you can’t control.  Knowing that because of it you’re going to be in trouble.  Lance had lived through that hell.

“Well you’re safe here.”  Lance said.  “We don’t care about that kind of thing in my house.  If you’re a good person then you belong here.”  Lance looks at Keith, who gave him the most surprised face.  Almost like a young child.

“You think I’m a good person?”

“Of course you are.”  Lance said.  “Why do you think I care so much?”

“I don’t know.”  Keith confesses looking at all the titles on the screen.

“Cause you deserve some love, everyone does.  I want to be your friend for a reason Keith.”  Lance said, he looks at the movies with him.  “Which one sounds interesting to you?”

“Uh what’s this castle one like?”

“Oh “Howl’s Moving Castle”?”  Lance asks.  “That is one of my favorites!”  Lance jumps like a little kid.  “Click on it click on it!”

“Okay.”  Keith chose it.  Lance got up quickly and came back a minute later with soda and popcorn.  Keith laughs at Lance getting excited for a movie.  Lance grabs a blanket and wraps himself in it.

“Wanna share?”

“I’m good.”  Keith chuckles and watches the movie.  Keith would randomly asked questions throughout, Lance didn’t mind he loved talking about a movie.  He wished others would be like that too, it’s like commenting on a video or something.

“Why is Howl hated so much?”

“Cause it’s rumored that he eats the hearts of beautiful women.”

“Does he?”

“No.”  Lance shook his head.  “Or at least I don’t think so.”  That got Keith to think about it.

“What if he does this to lure women in?”

“I’m sure that’s what the townspeople think.”  Lance said.  The two kept watching, Keith was completely indulged in the movie.  He had some funny reactions, like when Sophie turned old Keith gasps.

“What happened to her?”  Keith said.  “Is she like that forever now?”

“That’s something you’ll have to figure out.”

“NO!  Lance please tell me!”  Keith whines.  Lance chuckles and stayed silent.  “Laaaaaanceee!”

“Keeeeeeiiiiith.”

“Don’t copy me, answer my question!”

“It’ll answer itself.”  Lance curled up in the blanket and continued to watch.  The two were silent for a while.  Keith had to ask another question.

“Why is there a war going on?  Is that what this place full of heart eating spell casters needs?  A fucking war?”

“Yeah the war isn’t explained much.  All you know is that there is a war going on.  That’s it.”  Lance answers.  Keith sighs and continues to watch.

“Great now I’m gonna be mad the rest of the movie.”

“Really?”

“Yes, the war is gonna bug me because I have no idea why it’s happening!”

“It’s happening because story plot now watch.”

“URG IT’S PISSING ME OFF!”  Keith groans.  Lance laughs and continued to watch.  Keith leans on Lance and tried to stay awake for the rest of the movie.

“Is mullet getting tired?”

“Mmmm.”  Keith rejects by not speaking.  Lance wraps his blanket around Keith and now the two had to share.  Keith leaned into Lance more, Lance shook him awake.

“Movies not even halfway over bud.”  Lance said.  Keith looked at the screen in a haze and fell asleep, Lance couldn’t stay awake either.  In a few minutes he conked out as well.  The movie kept playing as the two fell asleep.

* * *

Keith woke up first, he heard giggling from a little girl.  He looks at Sarah and Rebecca who was taking pictures.  He was confused till Sarah spoke up.

“Princess, why you using Lance as a bed?”  She asks.  Keith looks and freaks out.  He fell off the couch and landed on the toy cars.  Not the best wake up call ever.

“Ow son of a bitch!”

“Hey hey no swearing Keith.”  Keith looks up to see their Mom was home.  “Wake up Lance already.”

“Okay.”  Rebecca smirks.  “ _¡Despierta hermano inútil de la mina!_ ”  She smacks him with a pillow.  He groans and took it from her and beat her back.

“Stop hitting me.”  He said in a sleepy voice.  He got up and fixed his glasses.  “What day is it?”

“Sunday, come on Mamá wants to go to church.”  Rebecca said.

“Don’t you have work?”

“Mamá wants me to start taking Sundays off.”  She walked upstairs, Lance noticed Keith looking around awkwardly.

“How was the movie?”  Lance asks.

“I fell asleep halfway.”

“Same.”  Lance lays back down.  “I do not want to go to church.”

“Why?”

“Cause I get bored.”  Lance said.  “Are you ready to go home?”  Keith shook his head.  Lance got up and stretched.  “I think Shiro is dying of a heart attack right now.”  Lance teases.

“I once left for three days so this is nothing.”  Keith said.  Lance rolls his eyes and ran upstairs to get ready.  Keith sat back down and kicked at the cars that broke his fall.

“Keith?”  He jumps at her voice.  He looks up at their Mom and smiles.

“Yes Mrs.McClain?”

“Call me Isabella.”  She said.  “Are you coming to church with us?”

“Um… I have nothing to wear.”

“I can see, you’re wearing my son’s clothes.”  She points at Keith.  He held himself, noticing that the his shoulder was exposed.  “I’ll find something for you to wear today, you can come with us.”

“Huh?”  Keith looked surprised.  “You want me to come to church?  I’m not religious.”

“Oh it’s okay, not one visit is gonna change you.”  She said.  Sam came down and walked into the living room watching TV.

“But a church won’t like me.”

“Why not sweetie?”

“Cause I…”  He felt uncomfortable telling her.  “I’m… gay?”  Sam did a spit take.  He flinched at the thought of Isabella hating him.  She just stared at him.

“Okay?”

“Huh?”

“If you’re worried about the crazy religious people then don’t bring it up.”  She said.

“They won’t hate me?”

“Eh, they don’t hate Lance.”  She said in a bored tone, that got Sam another spit take.

“God dammit Mamá!”  He said quietly.  She laughs at her son.

“Go ask Lance to help you find something nice to wear.  Also I threw your clothes in the wash, they should be done soon.”

“O-Okay.”  Keith walked upstairs and found Lance struggling with socks.

“Hi buddy, what is it?”

“Isabella said to find clothes to wear.”  Keith said.  Lance nods.

“Okay you’ll want something Sam’s size though.”  Lance kept the sock on halfway and looked through the dresser, Keith could not take Lance seriously thanks to the stupid sock.  Lance threw some clothes at Keith and continued with his battle with the sock.

“Where do I change?”

“Sarah and Rebecca are in the bathroom doing their hair so you’re stuck here I guess.”

“With you?”

“Meh I won’t look if you mind.”  Lance said.  “Plus I’m too occupied with these horrible things.”  He glares at the other sock.  His battle began as Keith started to change.  Lance won against the socks and saw Keith.  He was shocked on how thin he was despite being crazy strong.

“How can you fight and be the size of a toothpick?”  Lance asks.  Keith jumps and hid his torso.

“YOU SAID YOU WOULDN’T LOOK!”  Keith shouts.

“I’m curious, like how?”  Lance ignored him.  “I thought you were tiny last night but now… damn you’re thin.”

“Yes I’m tiny can you look away now?”

“You have your pants on, what’s wrong?”

“It’s embarrassing!”

“I’ve dumped ice down your boxers and this is the most embarrassing thing to you?”  Lance asks.

“Shut up!”

“Just get your shirt on and follow me.”  Lance said.  Keith got the button up on quickly and follows the tall Cuban downstairs.  Their Mom smiles and lead everyone to the car.  Keith looks at the neighborhood, he could see it now that there’s light.  Lance noticed his staring.

“Yeah not a great neighborhood.”

“I want to live in a house!”  Keith smiled.  “I want one like yours, one where you can stargaze on the roof!”  He said with excitement.  “I live in an apartment so I can’t do that, the roof is always locked.  I sat on my windowsill but the neighbor downstairs complained.”  Keith said.

“You’re so lucky to live in a building that’s all your own.”  He said to Lance.  Lance was shocked to hear someone call him lucky in his living conditions.  He was concerned for Keith but ignored him.

“We’re almost there, that’s the church.”  Lance points at it.  Keith froze, he felt nervous.  “Don’t worry no one will judge you.”  They all filed out and walked in.  The family said hi to a few people and even hugged some.  Keith stood quietly and waited for Lance to come back.  He saw someone walk up to him.

“Good morning young man.”  He looks up, an older man smiles.  Keith looks at him.

“Uh… mornin.”  Keith said.  The man nods and walks away, an older woman came up and hugged him.

“Good morning young man.”

“Uh… yeah mornin.”  Keith stayed still and let the old woman hug him.  She let go and walked off.  He sighs and relief, he stopped when kids ran around him and hid behind his legs.  Lance came over and laughed at Keith being uncomfortable.

“You okay?”

“No.”  Keith grabs Lance’s arm and walked with him.  “Lance they’re all staring at me.”  Lance laughed at Keith being all paranoid.  

“Duh, you’re new.  They like it when someone new comes in.”  He said.  Keith held onto Lance and walked into the sanctuary.  When the sermon started they started the greeting.  Keith gave a concerned look.

“Why?”  He whines.  People came around and shook Keith’s hand.  As soon as it was done he clung back to Lance.  Rebecca looks at him and laughs.

“You okay you brat?”  She asks.  He looks at her.  “It’s fine, no one will kill you on the spot.”  She said.

“What if they hate me?”

“Why would they hate you?”  Rebecca asks.  “This is your only time right?”  Everyone stood up to sing except those two.  Keith looks at his feet.

“I feel like everyone is watching me.”

“No they’re all singing now.”  She said.  Keith didn’t know what to say.  “You’ve been clinging to my brother a lot.”

“He’s the only person I know here.”

“You don’t hate him do you.”  She smirks.  Keith could see the resemblance.  The two were obviously related.

“I don’t know what you’re getting at.”

“Oh come on you’re pining hard for my brother.”  She said.  “Normally I’d tell ya to stay the hell away but you’ve grown on me.  Kinda like ya, ya brat.”  She held him close and pats his head.

“I am not pining after Lance, whatever that means… what does that mean?”  Keith asks.  Rebecca tries hard not to laugh out loud.

“It means you have a crush on him.”

“I do not!”  Keith shouts.  “We’re not even fri-”

“Oh no don’t you start.  I can see the friendship, and guess what.”  She said.  “He talks about you all.  The.  Time.”  She said.  Keith could feel the heat in his face rising.  He didn’t know what to do.

“You’re lying.”

“Rebecca McClain never lies.”  She said.  “Come here.”  Rebecca pulls Keith back into a hug and smiles.  “It’s okay, you have a good chance with my brother.  Hell I’ll support you if you’d like.”

“But I don’t like him like that.”  Keith said.

“Oh hush up I know better.”  She said.  “Oh and about your issue at home.  Whatever it is, family always makes up.  Go home and I’m sure they’ll accept you with open arms.”

“What if they don’t.”  Keith said.  “Wouldn’t be the first time I was abandoned.”  That about broke Rebecca’s heart.

“Then you’re always welcomed back into these arms.”  She said.  “I promise I’ll be a big sister to you too.”  Keith looked at Rebecca with a shocked look, he never had someone tell him that.  He nods and stayed in her arms.  Lance smiles at the two.

They finally made up.

* * *

“So are you gonna go back?”

“Yeah.  I hope Shiro isn’t mad.”  Keith said.  “Where are my clothes?”

“Here.”  Lance tosses him his clothes.  “Also they aren’t mad, Shiro was in a panic looking for you.”

“Oh shit.”  Keith said.  “I can’t send him off like that.  Fuck, I should’ve known better.”  Lance was confused.

“Everything okay?”

“Shiro has… well issues.  I shouldn’t keep him worried like that.”  Keith changed, Lance had to cover his eyes.  As soon as Keith was done Lance walked out with him.  They walked to the cafe together.  “How do you know this place?”  Keith asks.

“Oh I came in one day and fell for it, the lady is nice.”

“Yeah.”  Keith nods with a smile.  “She is nice.”  Keith stops and looks at Lance.  “Hey Lance?”

“Hm?”

“Um… I hope you don’t mind but… do you want to be my friend?”  Keith asks with an innocent smile.  Lance stares at him, he couldn’t believe it.  The same person who pushed him away, who stopped all progress was now wanting to be his friend.  Lance didn’t hold back, he hugged the poor guy.

“FINALLY!”  Lance said.  “I promise I will not let you go, we’re going to be best friends!”

“Hold on, what?”

“I said we’re going to be best friends.”

“No before that.”  Keith said.

“I won’t let you go?”  Lance was confused.

“You won’t let go?  As in you won’t abandon me?”  Keith asks in a serious voice.  Lance nods.

“Of course.”

“Do you mean it?”  Keith asks.  Lance smiles.

“I promise I won’t abandon you, I’ve worked hard to make you my friend.”  Lance said.  “So I won’t leave you, just promise you’ll be my friend.  Also you need to hang out with Hunk and Pidge.”

“Y-Yeah!”  Keith nods happily.  “Promise to me you’ll never leave.”  Keith held out his pinkie like a child.  Lance smiles and wrapped his around Keith's.

“I promise.”  The two smiled at each other till someone ran at Keith.

“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN SHIRO IS LOSING HIS SHIT!”  Allura shouts wrapping her arms around Keith.  Keith stood in place like what was going on was a normal occurrence.

“Lance took me in for the night.  Where is Shiro?”

“He’s at home waiting for you!”  Allura slaps his head.  “Running off like that because you’d thought Shiro hated you.  After all he’s done for you, after all he’s sacrificed for you, you think he hates you?”

“Well I thought-”

“Don’t want to hear it, go home now!”  She points in the direction of his apartment.  He grumbles and shoves his hands in his jacket pockets.  He turned and walked off.

“See you tomorrow Keith!”  Lance said.  Keith looks back and waves, then immediately ran off as soon as he saw Allura’s angry eyes.

“So sorry you had to be pulled into this.”  Allura said.

“No prob we’re buddies now thanks to this.”

“Really?”  Allura said.  “Well at least something good came out of this.”  She leans against her cafe and smiles.

“Shiro sacrificed a lot for Keith?”

“I shouldn’t tell you private things.  Maybe now that you’re friends he’ll tell you… in due time I’m sure.”  Allura looks at Lance.  “You pinkie promised something, what was it?”

“Oh that.  He made me promise I’d never leave him.”

“Good.”  She nods.  “Tell him that every time he feels unsure.  He shouldn’t feel like that anymore.”

“Yeah I will.  See you later Allura.”

“Yes, thanks again for taking care of him.  I’ll tell Shiro about it.”  She said.  Allura walks back into her cafe as Lance walked off.  He felt so happy.  He was finally friends with Keith Kogane.


	11. Try to Fit In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so tired and sore. So I did a charity thing called the "Mud Run" in my town (I live in Iowa and we have a shit ton of dirt) so it was a full obstacle course around the Fair Grounds. I had fun but damn I cannot move.  
> Anyways enjoy this chapter, and Keefer being adorable.

Lance walks in that day a little nervous, he wants his friends to accept Keith but they’re both so afraid of him.  He hopes it goes well.  He decided to wait until Keith came up to them and spoke first instead of making the introvert talk.  Pidge ran up to Lance and clung to him like usual and Hunk just walked up.

“How goes it?”  He asks.  Lance smiles.

“It’s going great.”  He said.  “What’s up with you two.”

“Pidge played “Brave Frontier” all night, she even stayed up to wait for her stamina to reload.”

“Worth it.”  She mumbled.

“Yeah you’ll be saying that in class I’m sure.”  Lance sasses off.

“Shut up and move.”  She lazily points towards their next class.  Lance nods and walked to class by now the teacher was so use to Pidge on Lance’s back that it didn’t phase them.

* * *

Lance walks to his literacy class when suddenly he was shoved into the wall.

“OW, who the?”  Keith glares at him.  “Well that was rude.”

“WHY DID YOU SPREAD IT AROUND?!”

“What?”  Lance was confused.

“You told people I was gay, why?”

“Hold up, I never said that.  I haven’t told anybody anything, hell I haven’t told Hunk or Pidge that, and those two are my best buddies!”

“Then who did?  If it wasn’t you then who else could’ve spread it?!”

“Maybe someone over heard you?”

“WHO?!  I’VE ONLY TOLD YOU AND SHIRO!”  Keith shouts.  “I ALSO TOLD ISABELLA SO WHO ELSE COULD’VE SPREAD IT?!”  Lance realized only one other person could have done it.

“Come with me.”  He walks to the sophomore bio class.  “Samuel!”  Lance got his brothers attention.  “ _ Aquí ahora. _ ”  Lance commands.  Sam walks towards him, he noticed Keith but ignored him.

“What is it?”  He asks.  Lance slaps his head.  “OW!”

“You told people that Keith was gay, didn’t you?”

“I only told my friends!”  Sam said.

“Oh really?  Well, your friends are gossiping little fucks!”  He slaps Sam multiple times.  He whines as his brother hit him.  Keith glares at Sam, arms folded across his chest.  They looked like a married couple scolding their child.

“Look I’m sorry!”

“Don’t apologize to me, apologize to the one you embarrassed.”

“Why?  He beat you up as well as some of my friends, let him be em-”  Another slap to the head.

“Is it funny?  Did you act like this when I came out?”  Lance asked.  “Did you go up to all your friends and say “My brother is bi, ha ha ha.”?”  Lance glared at him.

“No I didn’t do tha-”

“No you didn’t cause you didn’t want me to get picked on!”  Lance growls.  “Same thing you little shit!”  Lance grabs Sam’s ear and made him face Keith.  “Apologize or I’m calling Rebecca.”

“What?!”

“Apologize or you’ll deal with Rebecca.”

“FINE!”  Sam shouts.  He got out of Lance’s grasp and glares at Keith.  “I’m sorry.”  He said in an insincere tone and walks back into class.  Lance sighs.

“I’m still telling Rebecca.”  He said.  “I’m sorry Keith.”

“Not your fault.”  Keith said.  “You didn’t tell me you were bi.”

“Is it important?”  Lance asks as they walked to class.

“It would’ve been better to know that someone had to go through the same thing I was going through.”

“I hate remembering the time I came out.”  Lance said and shuddered at the memory.  “Come on we’re already late for class.”  The two walk in and took their normal seats.  They were glad the teacher wasn’t in yet.

* * *

Lance grabbed Keith and walked into the lunch line with him, Lance had his own lunch like always but he wanted to follow Keith so they could go to Lance’s table together.  Keith was very nervous about hanging out with new people.  He didn’t know how Pidge or Hunk would react but he knew it wasn’t going to be good.

“Is the pizza here any good?”  Lance broke Keith’s train of thought.  He jumps and looks at Lance.

“No, if you ever have to eat here don’t get the pizza.”  He said.  “Tastes like dough and they suck.”

“What about the burgers.”

“Same thing.”  Keith took a Gatorade out of the cooler and walked across the lunch lane and grabbed a salad.

“You don’t have much options do you?”  Lance asks.

“No I don’t.  I can’t eat yogurt, cheese, or fucking anything with dairy in it.”  Keith said.  Lance walks towards the checkout area with Keith, he picks up an apple and puts it on his tray.  

“What about ice cream?”  Lance asks, Keith shook his head.  Lance gasps in horror.  “You can’t enjoy ice cream?!”

“No.”

“That’s horrible!  What do you eat on a hot day?!”  

“Well I make my own juice pops.”  Keith said.  “Just put juice in an ice tray and freeze them.  They’re like a popsicle.”

“I can’t imagine life without ice cream!”

“It’s not like I can’t eat it.”  Keith said handing the lady his ticket.  “I’ll just get a bad stomach cramp if I do.”  He took his ticket back and walked out.  Lance following him.

“This way.”  Lance lead him to their table.  “Is there any other type of treats?”

“Ice cream made with almond or coconut milk, I don’t like them though.  They taste weird and Shiro got disgusted by it real easily so we threw it out.”  Keith said.  “Never bought it again.”  The two stop in front of the table.  Pidge and Hunk were talking and laughing until they saw Lance walk up with Keith, they both froze at the sight.

“Hey you two.”  Lance said.  Hunk and Pidge stare at them in horror.

“Uh… we were waiting for you, what took so long?”  Pidge asks.  “And why is Keith with you?”  Hunk ran towards Pidge and hugged her, using her as a shield.  Keith sighs and tried leaving, knowing he wasn’t wanted.  Lance grabs his shoulder.

“Keith is going to sit with us from now on.”  Lance said.  “Right buddy?”

“Um… s-sure.”  Keith suddenly felt nervous again.

“Good.”  Lance sat down, Keith followed and began to eat.  Pidge groans as she tries to reach for Lance’s food, he grew an evil smile.  “HA HA I GET MY FOOD TODAY!”

“NO!”  She cries.  “Curse you for sitting so far away.”  The group ate and tried to talk, Keith being there made it uncomfortable.  Hunk tried to talk to him and be nice.

“So Keith, I heard this rumor going around about you.  I didn’t believe it but I was wondering if you knew about it?”  Hunk asks.  Keith shot Hunk a glare.

“Yes I know about it, can we drop it?”  He growls.  Hunk grabs Pidge again.

“Oh yeah… heh sorry man I was just wondering if you’ve heard about it is all.”

“My brother started it.”  Lance said.  “He was being a shit so we resolved it.”  Lance continued eating.  Pidge groans and pulled out her DS.  Keith stares at it with big eyed curiosity.

“What’s that?”  He points at it.  Pidge looked up slowly.

“Uh… this?”  She held it up, Keith nods.  “A DS.  You play games on it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah really, do you not go online or watch TV?”  She asks.  “They were everywhere.”  Keith looks at his food embarrassed.  Lance chuckles.

“That’s what you get for not watching TV or going online.”

“Shut up.”  Keith grumbles.  “And I go online… to do school work, but still!”  Lance laughs at Keith.

“You’re something else man.”  Lance pats Keith’s back.  Keith didn’t say anything, he was too embarrassed for not knowing what a DS was.  Lance pats his head and continues to eat.

“Is he going to come here everyday?”  Hunk asks.

“Yes.”  Lance pulled Keith down again.  “Stop trying to run away.”

“They don’t like me.”

“No the- okay Pidge yes but Hunk is a little wary.”  Lance said.  “Which he’ll stop being right now.”

“Yeah sure, I’ll trust the kid who punches people on the spot.”  Hunk said.  “Makes so much sense.”

“Knock it off you guys, am I seriously going to have to keep you down?”  Lance asks.  Keith gave him a look.  Lance resorted to grabbing Keiths waist and keeping him in place.  Lance felt no shame but Keith has been better, and he was near an observant little rat.

“What’s wrong Kogane?”  She asks.  Keiths face was flushed, she looked over and smirked.  “You should’ve stayed still.”

“S-Shut up.”  He grumbles.

“So what are we going to do at gym today?”  Lance asks trying to change the subject for everyone’s sake.

“Who knows, maybe more crab soccer.”  Hunk teases Pidge.

“I will kill myself if that happens.”  Pidge said.  Keith nods.

“Same.”

“Only one who gets it.”  Pidge said.  “The only one with a fucking brain!”

“Well I got a ball to the face.”  Keith said.

“And that won’t be the last time, AYO!”  Lance teases, that made Pidge bust a gut laughing.  Keith glares at Lance face pure red.

“YOU ARE SUCH A DICK!”  Keith pushes him.  Lance was still laughing, Keith looks away from him and pouts.

“Aw come on it was funny!”  Lance said, Keith ignored him.  “Aw don’t ignore me now.”  Lance hugs him.  “You cannot ignore me Kogane.  You love me.”

“I’d sell your soul for half a corn chip.”  Lance gasps in offense.

“Am I not worth a full chip?”  He asks, that got Keith to smirk and go back to eating.  “I’ll have you know I am at least worth two corn chips good sir!”

“You sure?”  Keith asks.  Lance gawks at his response.  Pidge was dying while Hunk taped the whole scene.

“Some may say I am worth an entire bag!”

“I’d bet all the money I have that no one ever says that.”  Keith said, Lance grabs Keith.

“FIGHT ME MULLET!”  Lance shouts, the two wrestled each other while Pidge tried recovering.  Hunk was surprised how bad the whole thing got in a matter of minutes.

* * *

After changing for gym Keith and Lance messed with a random plastic ball that was meant for another class.  Lance took it from the bleachers and started tossing it to Keith.  Coach came in and took it from them, they pout and wait by the wall.

“You know they don’t like me around.”

“I know.”  Lance nods.

“Then why keep hanging around me?”

“Cause.”  Lance held up his pinkie.  “I promised I’d never leave you, I am a man of my word.”  He smiles at Keith.  “We’re going to be best friends, and you’re going to be apart of the group, so don’t worry.”  Keith gave Lance a small smile.

“Okay.”  He nods.  Pidge walks up later and groans.

“We’re going in the weight room.”

“The what room?”

“You’ll see, smells like sweat and it doesn’t have any airflow.”  She whines.  Lance saw Hunk walk in and play on his phone.  “Hunk you want to be my partner in the weight room?  I want someone with muscle.”

“Sure.”  Hunk said.  “You with Keith?”  He asks Lance.  Lance nods and rests an arm on Keith’s shoulder.

“Yeah we’ll be a team.”  The class heads down to the weight room.  It was full of weights and equipment.  Lance saw why Pidge took Hunk, it looked like hell.

“Okay ladies.  You’re working on all the weights, no treadmill.  Today is arm day, leg day is tomorrow.”  Coach said.  “Also no sitting around, got it?”  A collection of yes’s came out and they all went to work.

Pidge spotted Hunk on the bench while Lance looked through dumbbells.  He found a twenty five and looked at Keith. 

“What do we do with these?”  He asks.  Keith grabbed a thirty five and lifted his arms from his sides, going straight in the air.

“Try lifting them up without curling your arms in, like this.”  Keith said.  Lance watched Keith and rolled his eyes, it looked easy.   And was totally wrong.  Lance could barely get his arms up and he was using twenty fives.  Keith made it look easy and was lifting more than him.

“How are you doing that?  THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!”  Lance protests.  Keith chuckles and sat on a random bench.

“Then how about this?”  Keith put one dumbbell down and put the other one behind his head, he began to push it up and back down.  “Just lift it like this, and keep a good grip so you don’t drop it and kill yourself.”

“Okay?”  Lance tried, it was a little easier but still sucked.  Lance stopped after a few minutes of that.  “How can you keep going?”

“I work out with Shiro.”  Keith said.

“Well as you can see I don’t!”  Lance said.  Keith nods.

“Obviously.”  Keith said.  “Though I can’t see you with a muscular body.”

“What’s that suppose to mean?”  

“It means I can’t see you having a muscular body?”  Keith said it like it was a question.  Lance pouts and messes with the dumbbell.

“I’m a sting bean then?”  Lance asks.

“No, just thinner is all.”  Keith said.  “You’re not muscular but not a twig either.  Look why do you care so much?”  He asks.  Lance raised an eyebrow.

“Cause girls like muscular men, okay?”

“Yeah whatever.”  Keith said.  “Not everyone is attracted to muscular men.  I’m not attracted to it at all.”  Lance spat out laughter.

“Really?”  Lance asks, Keith nods.

“I don’t care who it is, if I ever get in a relationship I want to be the alpha.”  Keith said with a smirk.  That caused Lance to laugh.

“Buddy if I got with a guy I wouldn’t care if I was an alpha or omega.”  The two tried holding back their laughter.

“As long as the sex is good?”  Keith asks, Lance did his finger guns.

“You know it~”  The two broke out laughing.  What kind of conversation were these two having?  They didn’t care if anyone overheard they thought it was funny.  The two were glad they had someone to talk to about this kind of thing.  Even if it was unusual.

* * *

Lance walked with Keith before he went to the turn arounds.  The two seemed so calm and happy together.  

“So how do you get home?”  Lance asks.  Keith looks at him and points.

“With that.”  Keith was pointing at an old looking red car, Lance was just impressed he owned his own car.  Still didn’t stop Lance from laughing at it.  “Okay I know it’s old but it was all I could afford and it does it’s job-”

“No I’m impressed actually.”  Lance said through fits and giggles.  “It’s cool.”

“R-Really?”  Keith asks with big eyes, Lance never thought Keith would be this cute.  Lance quickly came back to reality and nods.

“Yeah, I wish I had my own car.”  Lance admits.  “Well see ya tomorrow.”

“Oh… uh yeah.”  Keith nods with a smile.

* * *

“SAM!”  Rebecca shouts at her brother that night.  He jumps and panics when he sees the sandal.  “ _ ¿Cree que es gracioso para hacer la diversión de la gente alegre? ¡No le puedo creer Samuel! ¿Cuando es incorrecto para muchachos gustar otros muchachos? ¿A Lance le gustan muchachos, va a ser medio con él? ¡Es una tan pequeña mierda, no puedo creer que le llame un hermano! ¡Deje de hacer la diversión de alguien porque no les gusta lo que - no DIRIGE DE MÍ! _ ”  She shouts and throws it at him.

Sam cries and looks at Lance.

“How could you?!”

“You weren’t sincere and Keith didn’t deserve it.”  Lance points out while playing on his phone.  Rebecca nails Sam in the head and scolds him again.

“ _ ¡No se hacer diversión de Keith otra vez! ¿Me oyes? Si Lance te atrapa burlarse de su amigo otra vez termino te! _ ”

“Yes yes I’m sorry I’m sorry!”  He cries.  Rebecca lets out a huff and sat on Lance’s legs, still holding the sandal.  She eyes Sam for a bit then let him go.  She watched Lance text his friends.

“How was today?”

“Great.  Keith is having a hard time getting along with everyone but I’m sure Pidge and Hunk will get along with him eventually.”  Lance didn’t even look away from his phone when answering.  Rebecca stares at her brother with a hard look.

“Lance can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“How do you feel about Keith?”  Lance gave his sister a look.

“Uh… he’s a friend.”  Lance said.  “I care about him as a friend.”  There was a long pause between the two.

“Do you want to bang him?”  Lance dropped his phone in embarrassment, which landed on his face.  Rebecca laughs as Lance glares at her.

“ _ ¡SUCIA A BRUJA! _ ”

“Am I right?”

“NO!”  Lance shouts.  “I THINK HE’S A FRIEND!”

“So you don’t think he’s hot?”

“I do it’s just that… FUCK YOU!”  Rebecca laughed even harder.

“I GOT YOU!”  She points at him.  “YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO HIM!”  She points at him.  Lance hid his face and groans, he was done with his sister.

“I’m going upstairs.”  He said in a quiet voice.

“No, come back here!”  She chased after him.  “Lance~  You can tell me anything sweetheart.”  She teased him all the way to his room.

“FINE I’M GOING TO HANG OUT SOMEWHERE ELSE!”  He took his coat and walked out.  Rebecca giggles at her brothers flustered state.

“Okay Lance, be back soon.”

“Yeah whatever.”

* * *

Lance peeks into the cafe, he saw Allura reading again.  She was alone like always.  Lance walked in and waves when she looked up.  Lance walks over and pulled a chair up to her.  Allura puts her book downs and smiles.

“How are you Lance?”  She asks.

“Good, had to get out for a while.”  Lance said.  “My sister was trying to embarrass me so I came here.”

“Okay then, I don’t mind the company.”  She said.  “Would you like something to drink?”

“Um.”  Lance looked at the menu.  “Jeez you have a weird menu.”

“Why, is it how it’s sectioned off?”

“Yeah.”  Lance nods.  “Can you tell me about the menu, like what’s each color?”  Lance asks.  Allura looks at him and back at the menu.

“Well Red lion is warm drinks, Blue is cold drinks.  Green is teas and organic drinks.  Yellow is food and snacks, and black is specials for the month.”  She said.  “Quite creative if I say so myself, a close family friend thought it was genius while my Father thought it was quite strange.  But it gives a unique taste to my store~”  

“I think it’s great.”  Lance said.  “I wish I could think of something like this… why lions though?”

“Dunno, it came to me.”  Allura said.  “So what’ll it be?”

“Um.”  Lance looks up.  “How about a vanilla latte with a… ooo you have muffins?!”

“Yes, they’re in the back right now.  I only make a batch a day though.”

“I want one!”

“Twenty two please.”  She held her hand out.  Lance reaches in and took out twenty two bucks.  Allura walks back towards the kitchen and made everything.  Lance messes with his coat and waits for Allura to come back.  She took longer this time since it was harder to make a latte.

Allura walks back with Lance’s latte and muffin.  The two sat in the quiet cafe both enjoying each others company.

“So Lance, how was school?”

“Oh um… fine I guess.”  Lance said.  “I was hoping my friends would accept Keith but they seem to be against him still.”  Lance looks at his latte, remembering what happened that day.  “Well it’s natural, not everyday someone befriends the biggest bully in school.”

“I’m sure Keith was nervous as well, he never had friends his age.”  Allura said, Lance looks at her.

“Okay that cannot be true.”

“According to Shiro it is, since Keith was little he had a harder time making friends, he was very shy and didn’t know what to do or say.  After the incident he started pushing everyone away.  Thinking that no matter who got hurt or how it happened he was at fault.  It was always his fault in his eyes.”

“Whatever that incident was it must have traumatized him badly.”  Lance took a drink and thought about it.  “He still hasn’t told me.”

“Soon he will.  I don’t know the whole story myself, I only know what Shiro told me.  Keith’s story is longer than what I know.  And I’m sure it’s darker.”  She took some of Lance’s muffin and ate it.  Lance looks down with a sick look.

“Do you think he’ll tell me?”

“I’m sure once you’re close enough.  I mean you won’t leave him right?”

“Of course not.”  Lance said in a confident tone.  “I told Keith I’m a man of my word.  I promised I won’t leave him and that’s what I’m gonna do.”  Those words made Allura smile.  She nods and took a sip of her own coffee.

“I’m just glad he has someone like you.”  She said.  “He’s lost some and pushed away more.  Promise me you won’t go anywhere.”

“Man I’m promising a lot of things lately.”  Lance said.  “Yes I promise I won’t leave.”  He took the coffee lid off and drank his latte, the heat fogged up his glasses, Allura about did a spit take on how fast it all happened.  Lance grumbles and wipes his glasses off.

“Maybe you should keep the lid on Lance.”

“Whatever.”  Lance grumbles.  The two sat in silence till the door opened quietly.  Shiro and Keith walk in, Keith was holding a couple of grocery bags.  “Hey you two.”

“Hello Lance.”  Shiro waved.  Keith looks at Lance and smiles sheeply, he waves shyly.  Lance waves back.

“You two need something?”  Allura asks them, Shiro points at Keith.

“We went shopping like you asked Princess.”  Shiro pushed him forward.  Keith hands her the bags.  Allura smiles and took the bags and hugs her boys.

“Oh thank you, you two are the greatest!”  She said.  Both boys stay in her arms and pat her back.  She pulls away and took the bags back.  “I’ll get to unpacking.”

“I’ll help.”  Shiro said.  “Stay put Keith.”

“Yes sir.”  Keith said with a smile.  Shiro walked in and helped Allura.  The two boys look at each other, Keith made a gagged face that caused Lance to laugh.

“What’s so funny you two?”  Allura asks.

“Nothing.”  The two said in unison, she rolls her eyes and went back.  They look at each other and laugh again.  Lance put his finger to his lips and lead Keith off.

“What are you doing?”  Keith asks in a whisper.

“Let’s hide from them, scare the shit out of Shiro.”  Lance said.  Keith gave a twisted smile and nods.

“Okay.”

“Come on.”  Lance lead Keith to a random part of the cafe.  They found a closet full of cleaning products, Lance went in and tugged Keith in with him.

Keith laughed a bit and Lance signaled him to be quiet.  The two stood close and listened for Shiro and Allura.  The two waited and waited.  They heard someone come out.

“Keith?”  Shiro calls, Keith laughs.  Lance shushed him and they both listened.  “Keith, where are you?”  He asks.

“What’s wrong?”

“Keith’s gone.”  Shiro panics.

“So is Lance, maybe they left?”

“What?!”  That got the two to laugh, Lance got closer to Keith to silence him.  Keith nods and listens to Shiro and Allura look around.  Allura walked close to the closet, she walked by.  Keith giggled again, Lance pulled him close to muffle his laugh and to make sure he didn’t laugh himself.

“Lance, they-”

“Shhh.”  They whispered hoping no one heard them.  They didn’t, which the two boys found hilarious.  They were laughing so much surely Allura or Shiro would hear them.

“Keith, Lance?”  Allura calls outside.  Shiro walked out and looked for them.  The two kept quiet and waited for the two to walk out.  As soon as they did the two laughed.  They still weren’t found.

Shiro and Allura walk back and look around.

“God dammit where are they.”

“Calm down Takashi, Lance left his coat so they’re still around.”  Allura assures Shiro.  He groans.

“I swear if they’re hiding I’m gonna kill them.”  He said.  Lance and Keith chuckle at Shiro’s frustration.

“He doesn’t sound too mad.”

“He’s a softy, don’t fall for it.”  Keith said.  Lance nods and stayed close, both listening to them get mad.  Allura stomps her foot in frustration, both boys jump in the closet.  “She sounds so mad.”  Keith giggles, Lance nods in agreement and watches the door.

“Call his phone.”  Allura said.  Shiro nods and calls.  Keith jumps as soon as his phone rang.  The two slowly look at the closet.  Allura walks up and opens it, both boys smile and giggle.  Lance grabs Keith’s arm and ran out.

“THEY FOUND US, RUN!”  Lance shouts as he dragged Keith out the cafe.  Shiro and Allura watch with a surprised face.  They just ran out.  

Keith laughs and ran with him, the two stopped at a nearby park and laughed at what just happened.  Lance looks at where they stopped and walked towards the swings.  Lance swings while Keith just sat there and let him kick himself up.

“We just did that.”  Keith said, Lance laughed.

“Heck yeah we did!”  Lance almost went upside down on the swings smiling.  Keith laughs and looks back out at the dark sky.

“Is this normal?”  He asks, Lance stopped the swing.  “Is this what friends do?”

“Oh.”  Lance looks at Keith and finally got his question.  “It’s different amongst friends.  No two groups are exactly the same, this is how we hang out.”

“We run away from my brother?”

“Yeah, that’s how we hang out.  We run from Shiro.”  Lance said.  Keith started swinging with him.  “Though will he be mad?”

“Oh I’m sure he’s unhappy.”  Keith said.  “But no he’s not mad, hell I think he’s annoyed with us.”  Keith said.  “Ha ha, I’m higher.”  Lance looked up.

“Oh it’s a competition now?”  Lance asks, he smirks.  “You’re a foolish man Kogane, I have longer legs.”

“And I have more upper body strength.”  Keith smirks back.  “Bet you’ll never get to my height.”

“Oh watch me Mullet.”

“Watching.”  Lance was struggling to get up to Keith’s level, the boy gave up and kicked himself whenever he could to get himself higher.  Keith saw what he was doing and protests.

“No you go up by doing this!  I declare that as cheating!”

“It ain’t cheatin.”  Lance said as he continued to kick himself up.

“Stop it!”  Keith laughed.  “I think it’s fair to say I’m the winner in this.”

“ _ ¡No han ganado nada pero Keith! _ ”  Lance shouts while trying to win still.  Shiro and Allura walk up and glare at the two.

“You two get over here now!”  Allura commands.  Lance and Keith walk over acting like they did nothing wrong.  Allura smacks them both as soon as they came close.  They both yelp and hold each other close.

“Why?!”  Lance asks in a helpless voice.  “Why you do this?”

“Knock it off, you both ran off and scared the shit out of both of us.”  Allura snaps.  “Shiro come over here and tell them.”

“Both of you.”  Shiro sounded way too calm.  “Please don’t do that again, I told you to stay put because you’ve already ran off and I can’t run around looking for you again.”  Keith nods.  “And Lance I know you two are friends but don’t be a bad influence.”

“Who said I was being a bad influence?”  Lance asks.  The two look at each other and smile.  “Well while we’re here can we stay longer?”  He asks Shiro.

“Um… as long as you get home.”  He points at Keith, he nods.  “Good, well I’m off.”  He walked back home.  Allura held her head and groans.

“You’re too soft Sweetie.”  She yells at him.  “I’m going back to the cafe.  You get there soon Lance, your stuff is there.”

“Yeah yeah Mom I got it.”  He said as he ran back to the swings.  “I’M GONNA BEAT YOU THIS TIME!”

“Hey NO FAIR!”  Keith ran after him.  Allura walks back to the cafe, leaving the two alone again.  They continued to swing until Lance looked up.  Rain came pouring down again, Lance looks at Keith who seemed so use to it.

“You know… it always rains here.  I never knew why.”


	12. It Always Rains Here

Lance walked in with his brother, Sam was still unhappy about Rebecca beating the shit out of him with a sandal.

“I cannot believe you told her.”

“Next time don’t insult my friends.”  Lance said, Sam clicked his tongue and storms off.  Lance glared at him and began to yell.

“Real mature Samuel.”  Lance turns away and walks towards his locker.  Lately Sam has been very disrespectful, Lance shrugged it off as Sam going through a phase and opens his locker.  He about got everything done, but heard a conversation go on.

“So we should tell Lance that it isn’t going to work?”  Hunk asks.

“Trust me, I have no clue how he befriended him but Keith isn’t going to like us.”  Pidge said.  The two look at Lance who had his arms folded across his chest.

“So… you two give up?”  Lance asks in a cold voice.  Pidge and Hunk back away due to the sudden drop in Lance’s voice.  Pidge grew a set and spoke up for both her and Hunk.

“Look Lance, we can’t talk to him.  He’s rude, distant, and to top it off he only likes being around you.  He hates us.”

“No he doesn’t.”  Lance said.  “Look give him one more chance you guys.”  He begs.  “He isn’t bad, in fact he really wants to be your friend.  Just give him another chance.”  Pidge shook her head, Hunk stares at Lance like he was waiting for an invitation.

“I’ll give him another chance.”  Hunk said with a smile.

“HUNK!”

“Y-You will?”  Lance asks with hope.  He nods, Lance hugs his big friend.  “You are the bestest friend a guy could ask for!  God I could kiss that perfect face of yours.”

“No thanks.”  Hunk pushes him away, though he was a hugger himself Lance kind of ruined it with his comment.  Pidge rolls her eyes and climbs on Lance’s back.  She nuzzles into him and began to talk.

“Sorry Lance, but I know him too.  But I know him in a different way.”  She said.  Lance nods and started walking to class.  The smol pigeon stayed on his back like always and left Hunk to his other class.

* * *

Lance messed with his pencil in literacy, he sat next to Keith since no one sat near him at all.  Keith was watching him and flicked his pencil out of his hands, Lance looked so betrayed.  He looks at Keith with a pitiful look.  Keith chuckles and went back to reading.  Lance got up and grabbed his pencil.  He sat down and rests his head on his desk.

Keith taps his head when their teacher came back.  Lance put his head up and watched the teacher.  She told everyone to work on their book, Lance groans and rests his head on his desk again.  Keith looked at Lance and let him rest.

He read his book, Lance looks up at the book Keith was reading.  It was huge and almost done with it.  Lance had to ask how he did it.

“How?”

“Hm?”  Keith looks down at the Cuban.  He looks at Lance and back at his book, and back at Lance.  He motioned his book, Lance nods.  “I like to read.”  Keith said.

“You’re not human.”  He said and went back to sleep.  Keith chuckles and goes back to his book.  Lance closed his eyes and opened them to see Keith still reading.  He kept staring at him till Keith felt a sudden chill, like he was being watched.  His eyes shot open and looked around.  Lance laughs at the cute reaction, he heard Lance laugh and looks down at him.  Keith looked at him with an unsure look.

“W-What are you staring at?”

“Nothing~”  Lance sang and continued to watch Keith, he hid his face in his book and tried ignoring Lance’s stare.  It didn’t help.

“Stop staring at me!”

“Why?  I’m enjoying the view.”  Lance did finger guns at Keith, Keith tried getting up but fell over instantly.  Lance tried to muffle his laughter.  “You okay?”

“Nooooo.”  Keith whines.  Lance laughs and helped him up.  Keith grabs his arm and slowly sat back down in his desk.  Lance sat next to him and stared at him again.  “Stooooooop!”

“Make me.”  He said.  Keith did his best to ignore him.  After class Keith only got five pages read.  He got up and waited for Lance to grab everything.  The two walk out of the classroom, Keith was a little upset about how much he got done.

“I didn’t even get to the next chapter.”  He said in a defeated voice.  Lance laughs a bit.  “What is so funny?”

“You’re upset about not getting a chapter done.”  Lance said.

“I was getting to the good part, you had to be a creep and stare at me.”  Keith snaps.  Lance chuckles and walks towards his locker.  “So why do you pack your own lunch?”

“Cause my family is broke.”  Lance said.  “It’s mi Mamá and five kids all in one house.  We can’t afford lunch here.”

“Don’t you guys get free lunch then?”  Keith asks, Lance shook his head.

“No we make enough in our home, it’s just that we can’t pay the lunch bill.  I don’t mind though, it’s fun to make these before going to bed.  Sam, Sarah and I always have a contest to see who can make the better lunch… somehow Sarah always wins.”  Lance was now curious on how his eight year old sister keeps beating her older brothers, now it was going to bug him.

“What if you don’t have enough?”

“Have you met mi Mamá?  Lady makes enough food to feed all of Cuba.  Rebecca always tells her not to make too much but she never listens.”  Lance said.  “Next time you come over just look in our fridge.”

“I’ll remember to do that.”  Keith shook his head, he was not going to do that.  Lance followed Keith again and saw him pick the same things again.

“Salad again?”

“See anything else?”

“Um… they have chicken sandwiches.”  Lance points out.  Keith gave a disgusted look and walked towards the check out.  “Well sorry you don’t like chicken sandwiches.”

“They never taste right.”  Keith said.  Lance rolls his eyes at Keith and follows him to their table.  “Do you really want me to sit with you again?”

“Yes, don’t argue.”  Lance said.

“But they don’t like m-”

“ _Dije no discutas._ ”  Lance said again, Keith stares at him for a second.

“I never understand what the fuck you’re saying.”

“Forget it and come on.”  Lance walks ahead.  Keith walks behind him and looks at the table with a nervous look.  Hunk and Pidge wave at the two.

“Hey you two.”  Pidge said.  “Are you gonna sit or…?”

“Oh… um.”  Keith sat next to Lance and began to eat.  Hunk began to speak up.

“So Pidge guess who I talked to today.”

“Us?  Your friends?”

“No!  I talked to Shay.”  Hunk gave a confident smile.  “And you said I didn’t have a chance.”

“She didn’t want to be mean to the fat guy.”  Pidge said in a monotone voice.

“Hey!”

“Come on Pidge, Hunk’s got more to love right?”  Lance said.

“Yeah he’s a big old teddy bear.”  Keith said right after.

“Okay yeah sure, make fun of the fat guy.  I see how it is.”  Hunk continues to eat.

“We’re not making fun of you.”

“I am.”

“Okay Pidge is making fun of you, but that’s just Pidge.”  Lance said.  “Keith and I weren’t making fun of you… right?”  He asks Keith.  Keith looks at Lance and back at Hunk.

“I overhear people calling Hunk a teddy bear all the time… thought he knew that.”  Keith points at Hunk with his big eyed look.  Lance cannot stand that look, it was too innocent and precious.  Lance shook his head to come back to reality.

“Uh no um… we’ve never heard that.”

“I have.”

“Pidge.”  Lance looks at her.  “Is overhearing things like a hobby of yours or something?”

“More like a skill I have aquired over the years.”  She gave her friends a wicked smile.  “Beware of what you say around me.”

“Do I need to bring a weapon with me whenever I’m with you?”  Keith asks.  Pidge still smirks at him.

“Maybe.”  She sang.  Keith looks at the other two.

“You are not bringing a weapon with you.”  Lance said.  Keith points at Pidge.  “I don’t care if she overhears something about you, you are not stabbing Pidge.”  Keith still points at Pidge with the same big eyed look.  “Can you stop staring at me like that?  God how do your eyes get that big?”

“Huh?”  Keith gave Lance a confused look.

“They’re like balloons!”  Lance said.  “You look like a cat when you do that.”

“Cat’s also scratch when they are threatened, so can I have a weapon?”

“Wha-No!”  Lance lightly smacks Keith’s head, he made a soft yelp and held his head.  He gave Lance a sad look that screamed ‘Why?’.  Lance just stared again.  How cute is this guy?  First time they met he looked like he was out for blood, he punched a kid because of an accident.

Now he has these eyes that make your heart melt and he makes cute little noises.  Is this really the same guy?

“Lance are you gonna eat your chocolate bar?”  Pidge asks holding it up.

“Yes, give it back!   _Pequeño ladrón._ ”  Lance hissed and took his candy bar back, practically glaring at Pidge.  She shrugs and pulled her DS out.  

“So Keith, what do you like to do for fun?”  Hunk asks.  Keith gave a surprised look and thought for a moment.

“I like reading, and I practice fighting and I collect weapons… mainly knives.”  Keith saw Hunk’s expression change to concern.  “Um… I have odd hobbies.”

“So does Pidge.”  Hunk said.

“Shut up.”  Pidge hisses.  “I don’t care what you say boy I know the truth.”

“Truth?”  Lance asks.  He asked the wrong question.

“No no no!”  Hunk said.

“Oh I’ve got something good!”  She smirks as she closed her DS.  “The granddaddy of all theories.  The Roswell UFO Incident!”  She shouts.  Keith slams his hands on the table and stares at her.

“You know about that?!”

“Of course I do!”  Pidge said.  “I mean it’s so obvious they’re covering something up!”

“How about Area 51, you can’t fly near there!  They have to be hiding something!”  Lance looks at the two, watching them explain theories.  He slowly looks at Hunk who was covering his face.

“You found another theorist…”  Hunk whines.  Lance looks at Keith and Pidge who were still going on.  He was lost.

“What are they talking about Hunk?”

“Just listen to them… you’ll get an idea.”

“What about Bigfoot, or the Goatman?”  Pidge said.  “God Goatman is creepy though… maybe not Goatman… Mothman!”

“I KNOW Mothman is real!”  Keith said.  “No way around it, that thing is out there now!”  He said with enthusiasm.

“Looks like Mothman has a fan.”  Pidge said.  “What about the government being controlled by aliens!”

“Possibly.”  Keith thought out loud.  “Or they’re trying to control us!  No aliens, the government is trying to control and split us up using media and other things to make us weak and obey them!”

“You might be onto something Kogane!”  Pidge said.  Lance looks at them both then finally got it.

“Conspiracies?”  He asks.  Hunk nods sadly and took his tray back.  Lance packed up as well.  “You two enjoy talking about those, I’m going with Hunk.”  He left the two to talk about whatever.

* * *

Gym came around and the two were still at it.  Lance and Hunk stood there regretting all of their life choices.  It was one after another, it never ended.  Lance began to wonder how many fucking theories were there.  He’d rather sit through a boring documentary then hear those two for another minute.

Finally they stopped, Lance and Hunk sigh with relief.  Pidge laughs and looks at Keith with a small smile.

“You’re alright.”  She said.  Keith gave her a surprised face then smiles at her and nods.  Lance was just glad that they were finally accepting Keith as a friend, though they seem to get along over the strangest of things.  Who cares, they’re friends now.

* * *

Lance walks into his home only to be hit in the head by a Nerf bullet.  He heard Rebecca and Sarah giggle.  Sam walks in from behind him and got the same treatment.  Both boys gave the same unamused face to their sisters.  Rico pops up too and giggles with them.

“Traitor, you should be on our side.”  Lance said to him.  Rico hid behind Rebecca and continued to giggle.  The two walked in and sat down next to their siblings.

“So how was your day?~”  Rebecca asks.

“How was yours?”  Sam asks.  Rebecca smiles and thought about her day.

“Well I worked and worked and had to clean up some kids vomit… it sucked.”  She said.  Rebecca looks at Sarah.  “Your turn.”

“I was at school and today at recess my friends played spider… I hated it.  Like I didn’t get the rules at all.”  Sarah said.

“My friends are getting along now.  And I learned that two of my friends are crazy.”  Lance said.  “My only sane friend is Hunk.”

“Oh really?”  Rebecca asks.  “What about the other two?”

“They like to theorize…”  Lance remembers.  “They like theories… it was awful.”  Rebecca laughs at her brother.  “It’s not funny.”

“I think it’s funny.”  Rebecca said.  “Everyone likes different things Lance, like you with your skin care.”

“We all like that.  Everyone in this house likes that.  Sam don’t deny it, you love it.”  Sam puts his arm down as soon as Lance called him out.  “But theories?!”

“Maybe they are interesting theories.”  Rebecca said.

“No they aren’t.  They were aliens and half people half animal, they were all WHAT THE HELL IS A MOTHMAN?!”  Rebecca stares at him.

“Uh… I have no idea.”  Rebecca pulls her phone out.  Sarah looks at Lance and took her notebook out.  Rico watches his sister draw, Sam even looked over and gave a disgusted face.

“What is that _hermana_?”  He asks.  Sarah shows Lance, he fixes his glasses and looks.

“Uh…”

“It’s Mothman.”  Sarah said.  “See?  Mothman!”  She held up the drawing up higher.  Lance nods.

“It’s… great.”  Lance said.

“Oh here it is.”  Rebecca showed a picture of Mothman.  “Mothman of Point Pleasant.”  She said.  “Apparently he’s all around West Virginia.”  Lance took Rebecca’s phone and stares at the creepy pictures.

“I hope it’s fake.”  Lance said.

“Heh.  Says the boy who believes in ghosts.”  Rebecca teases her brother.

“THOSE ARE REAL!”

“Yeah yeah sure.”  Rebecca smirks.  “ _Pollo grande._ ”  

“Shut up Rebecca.”  Lance whines.  He pouts and looks down at his feet.

* * *

The following days were normal, Lance regretted having Keith and Pidge talk cause now they talk about all their theories as well as getting Keith into videogames.  Lance watches Pidge hand him her DS and tells him to play.

“Just play a bit of Pokemon.”

“But.”

“Play.”  She said.  Keith looks at the DS and played Pokemon, he fought a random one and won.  His eyes lit up.

“I did it, I won!”

“Nice one man.”  Pidge said.

“You catch these things right?  How do you do that?”

“Hey don’t waste my shit.”  Pidge slowly took it back, Keith looked upset that he lost the device.  “Get your own copy of the game.”

“Isn’t that a gen 2 remake?”  Lance asks.

“And it’s amazing.”  She stuck her tongue out.  “Just get your own copy Keith.”

“I don’t have a DS.”  Keith said.  “How much is one?”

“About two hundred dollars.”  She said.  “And the game is about forty bucks.”

“Oh.”  Keith looked disappointed.  “I want one.”

“Christmas is coming up.”  Lance said.  “Just ask Santa for one.”

“Santa isn’t real Lance.”

“And Mothman is?”

“YES!”  Keith shouts.

“Whatever.”  Lance packed his lunch back up and walked out.  Keith looks at the other two then follows Lance.

“Lance, do you have a DS?”

“Yeah?”  Lance said like a question.  “No you cannot have it or borrow it, it’s mine.”  Keith pouts.  “Caught ya.”

“I want one.”  He kicks the ground.

“Like I said, Christmas.”  Lance pinches Keith’s cheek and walked to his locker, Keith follows him.  “You make it sound like you never get anything on Christmas.”  Keith stayed quiet.  “No… you never get anything?!”

“I never ask for anything because I don’t want to bother Shiro with anything expensive.”  Keith said.  “It’s hard when you’re nineteen and trying to support another person.  It’s gotten better since Allura came in but it’s still hard.”  Keith said.  Lance pats Keith’s head.

“Look at you, caring about your brother.”  Lance teases, Keith’s face turned bright red and walked past Lance.  “Hey don’t leave!  Come back!”

“No, I’m leaving you.”

“Keef~  Come back.”  Lance skips after him.  “Keith?  I love you~”

“Goodbye Lance.”  Keith kept walking.  Lance followed him still.  “Get away from me you half a cornchip.”

“I thought I told you I was worth at least two cornchips!”  Lance snaps.  Keith chuckles.

“Yeah, in another universe.”  He said.  Lance gasps in offense.

“ _¡Oh eres tan perra!_ ”  Lance shouts, Keith smirks and kept walking.  “Get back here Mullet!”

“Catch me.”  Keith began to run, Lance’s eyes grew in size and tried catching up to him.

“Dammit you’re fast!”

* * *

The rest of the week was boring at best.  That Friday morning Lance came down and saw his siblings doing their normal routine.  Eating, watching TV and not getting ready at all.  Lance walked into the kitchen and took out a pill, he walks up to his sister and sat next to her.

“Morning Rebecca.”

“Morning.”  She said, she hands him her glass of juice.  Lance took it and took his pill.  “Ready for another sunshiny Friday full of fun, games, and awkward social standards?”

“Yes I do believe I am.”  Lance said.  He finished off the juice and smacks Sam’s head.  “ _Venga, tenemos que estar listo._ ”  

“Yeah yeah.”  Sam follows Lance upstairs and the two got ready for school.  Lance runs down and grabs his bag.  Sam follows a second later.

“Bye you guys.”  Lance waves to his family.  They wave back as he runs off.  Lance walks with his brother who looked miserable.  “ _¿Woah usted está bien?_ ”  

“Yeah I’m fine”  Sam growls.  Lance rolls his eyes and stood at the bus stop.  Lance didn’t believe his brother for a second but best not to push buttons.  

* * *

Lance opened his locker and felt Pidge crawl on his back.  Hunk and Keith were talking about something Lance wasn’t paying attention.

As soon as he was done organizing he carried his things and Pidge to his next class.  Hunk asks him something.

“So what do you think Lance?”

“Huh?”

“I wrote Keith a couple of recipes for his sisters cafe.  You know his sister, so give a good word for me!”

“Are they any good?”  Keith asks.

“I don’t know.”  Lance shrugs.  “I’ve never had your cooking.”  

“Well I’m a great cook and Keith here should take these back to wherever his sister works.”

“It’s a cafe and she’s not my sister yet.”  Keith said in an agitated tone.  

“Well you said that she’s dating your brother and they’re really close and love each other so she will be your sister someday right?”  No answer.  “Yeah I guess I’m right.  Allura already acts like a sister.”  Lance points out.

“Sadly she does.”  Keith said in a tired tone.  “She’s also annoying, loud, and a total smartass… but I love her anyways.”  He said.  Lance chuckles.

“You love her anyways.”

“Hey she’s made my life easier.”  Keith said.  “By the way don’t you get tired of holding her?”

“Nah, she feels like a backpack.”  Lance points out.  “Well time to go.”  He heads towards his first class.  After that hour he picks up Pidge again and walks with her.

“Hey Lance look.”

“Hm?”  He looks out the window.

“It’s raining again.”

“It rains a lot here doesn’t it?”  Lance asks.  Pidge nods and cuddles into his shoulder.  Lance smiles and walks with the sleepy girl on his back.

* * *

Literacy class was in the library and Lance couldn’t focus on the book due to all the noise and distractions.  Keith saw him look around and stare off into space but never reading.  Keith taps his leg to get him to focus but it never worked.  Lance groans when class was over because he barely got past the first page.

“How do you do this for fun?”  Lance asks, Keith shrugs and follows Lance to his locker.

“I just do.”  The two walk to the cafeteria and met up with their group of misfits.  Hunk and Pidge both look at Lance.

“Someone’s happy.”  Pidge said.  Lance stuck his tongue out and began to eat.  Keith looks at Pidge.

“He can’t concentrate on his book so he’s mad that he won’t get it finished.”

“There were too many distractions!”  Lance snaps, Keith held his arms out in defense.  

“Okay okay, don’t have to snap at me.”

“Maybe you could find a quiet spot to read.”  Hunk suggests.  “Like your room.”

“Oh yeah, find a quiet spot in the McClain house, on and recent news aliens discovered.”  Lance said in a sarcastic tone.

“Then go somewhere else.”  Pidge said.  “In this city you’ll find a quiet place to relax.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.  Think of somewhere quiet.”  Lance thought about it and smiled.

“Got somewhere in mind.”  Lance said.

“Good, now a better question.”  Hunk starts.  “Are you gonna eat tha-”

“Yes.”  Lance held his sandwich close.

* * *

After school Lance grabs his jacket, phone, and book.  He looks at his Rebecca who was laying with Rico watching TV.

“Hey Rebecca?”

“Yes?”  She looks up at him along with Rico.

“Since it’s been raining recently, also it gets dark quickly… well if it happens again can you come get me?”  He asks giving her puppy eyes, she groans and gave him a smile.

“You’re lucky I love you.”

“Thanks.”  Lance sings.

“What time?”

“Before ten.”

“Got it.”  Lance walks out and towards the park near the cafe.  Lance sits on one of the benches and reads.  He still blanked out every once in awhile but besides that he got almost half of the book done and he was enjoying it.  He really liked the world the author made and was getting invested.  Though he got lost and was having a hard time focusing on the print but he was getting it done.  Slow and steady wins the race.

He saw headlights and a car pull up.  Lance saw the driver and was curious.

“Keith?”  Lance asks, Keith rolled his window down and gave Lance a confused look.

“What are you doing here?”  He asks.  Lance held his book up.

“Quiet place.”  Keith nods.

“Ah I get it.”

“What are you doing?”

“I was going to go get something for Allura, want me to take you home?”

“Nah, Rebecca will come get me in an hour.”  Lance said.

“Alright.”  Keith nods.  “See ya.”

“Yeah, see ya.”  Lance waves him off.  He walked back to the bench and continued to

read.  Lance got half the book done and he was quite proud of himself for getting that much read in one night.

He saw a flash of light and quickly looked up.  Clouds covered the sky and it started to downpour.  Lance quickly got up and ran under a tree.  He was still getting wet but it was better than the bench that was out in the open.  Lance held the book close and looked at his phone.  Rebecca should show up at any minute.

Lance watched the rain, waiting for his big sister, soon it was ten minutes, then twenty.  Soon enough Lance had been standing in the cold rain for almost an hour.  Did she forget about him?  Lance shook his head.

‘No she’ll be here soon enough.’  He said to himself.  But she never came, Lance felt like crying.  His own sister forgot all about him, she promised to get him but he’s still standing in the rain.

A car pulls up, it wasn’t Rebecca.  Lance saw Keith’s face appear.

“Lance.”  He called out.  Lance held the book close to him and looked down.  “Come on, let me take you home.”  Lance slowly walks towards the car and got in.  He took his glasses off and tried cleaning them on his already soaked shirt.  Keith took them from him and wiped them off.

“Here.”  Keith saw Lance was crying.  “Lance you okay?”

“She forgot about me…”  Lance said.  Keith shook his head.

“No I’m sure something came up.”  He reassured, Lance pulled his phone out.  No calls or messages.

“She would’ve said something… she forgot all about me.”  Lance put his glasses back on and tried holding back tears.  Keith looks down and drove Lance home.  

They got to the house and saw multiple cars around, Lance and Keith couldn’t recognize them due to it raining and it being dark.  The walk up to the house and notice something odd.  Policemen in the living room, and comforting Lance’s mom who was crying.

“What is going on?”  Lance asks quietly.  He and Keith walk in, Isabella looks at her son and runs to him.

“ _¡MI HIJO ESTÁ BIEN!_ ”  She almost tackled him.

“Ah! _Sí, sí a Mamá estoy bien…_ ”  Lance nods, he noticed all his siblings looking as surprised as their mom, but also sad like they were crying as well.  “What’s going on?”

“I THOUGHT YOU GOT CAUGHT IN THAT CRASH TOO!  I’M SO HAPPY YOU’RE STILL HERE!”

“Mamá what’s going on?”  Lance asks, his voice shaking.  His mom’s face broke into tears again.

“REBECCA!  SHE’S GONE LANCE, SHE’S GONE!”  Time froze.  Lance stood there unable to move.

“W-What?”

“SHE WENT OUT AND THE TIRES OF THE CAR SLID!  REBECCA DIED!”  His mother hugs him close, Lance couldn’t comprehend what he just heard.  He felt tears pour out of his face, he shook his head.

“No, n-no no this… this is a mistake.”  Lance said.  “Rebecca isn’t gone, right?”  He looks at everyone.  “S-She can’t be, she promised to come get me and-”  Lance shook his head.  “She can’t be gone!”

“Lance.”  Keith grabs his shoulder.  Lance ran outside.  Keith looks back at Isabella who was still crying.  “I-I’ll go get him.”  Keith runs out and called for Lance’s name.  He found him hiding near an old recreation building.  Keith gasps for air and looks at Lance who was hiding his face.

Keith got down and hugged Lance tight.  Lance clutches to Keith.

“I’m so sorry Lance.”  Keith whispered.  

“She’s not gone, she can’t be… right?”  Lance pulled away slightly and looked at his friend.  Keith gave him a sad look, like he was about to cry himself, and shook his head.  Lance bursts and held onto Keith.  No matter how much he lied or want to believe something else, nothing could change it.

Rebecca was dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... yeah it's starting.


	13. Loosing A Loved One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye last chapter caught some of you off guard. (you saw the 'angst' tag right?) This one is more of trying to cope with Rebecca's death so enjoy this.

Lance didn’t go to school that Monday, nor did his siblings.  They all sat in the house upset and confused.  Lance and Sam had to comfort and calm the younger two whenever they remembered and cried out for Rebecca.  Rico would often fight and demand for his elder sister, Sarah would ask them if God would give her back.  It upset Sam to the point where he’d yell and run to his room, leaving Lance all alone with the two kids.  

Lance couldn’t handle it, his sister was his rock, his support, and she’s gone.  Lance finally hushed Rico and got him to bed.  Sarah prayed to God again to talk to Rebecca, Lance couldn’t stand to hear his baby sister talk to God like that.  He walks out and sat downstairs on the couch.  He felt sick, and lost, and confused.  Like he did when he figured out he wasn’t straight, and he told Rebecca that.

She was the first one to know, instead of freaking out or asking if it was true she hugged him.  Rebecca said it changed nothing, he was still her brother.  Lance looked to his side where she usually sat, she wasn’t there, or anywhere in the house.  He stayed on the couch and watched the door hoping Rebecca would run in with her usual smile and making up an excuse why she was so late.

That never happened.

That Thanksgiving break was not happy at all, instead they were planning a funeral.  Lance saw his mom planning it with their church early one morning.  He grabbed his jacket and walked outside, his mom watched her son with a look of sadness.  She knew it affected her son differently, he was the closest to Rebecca, the two were practically twins.  

Lance ignored all that happened, he walked away from his home and walked by the park he waited for her at.  He looked away from it and kept walking, honestly he didn’t know where he was going.  He was just walking.

He came back when the church left, he had been walking non stop for over an hour and hadn’t eaten or taken his medication.  He forgot all about it since her death, he didn’t feel like taking it, or eating, or doing anything besides walk and forget.  It wasn’t working.

The funeral came and only the house family, few friends, and her many many co-workers came.  They were all upset, they lost someone wonderful, caring, charismatic, funny, kind, and overall a great person.  She was taken from them.  

Lance walks up to the body in the casket.  He noticed the damage her body took.  Behind the beautiful makeup and stunning dress were cuts and an obvious broken arm and cracked skull.  That was what killed her instantly.  Lance couldn’t stand the sight of his sister in there, he couldn’t stand it.  It was made worse when Rico walked up and asked Rebecca to wake up so they could all go home together, that he was starting to miss her.

Lance ran off and hid in a random part of the church crying.  He couldn’t go back there, Rico was still talking to Rebecca, asking her why she was so sleepy.  Sam stayed with Sarah and comforted her, and their mom was with the co-workers crying.  Lance felt alone, felt like no one was there for him.  He needed someone to hold him.

He needed Rebecca.  He didn’t want anyone else, he wanted his sister.  He needed to feel her against him, he needed to hear her laugh, see her smile, hear her reassuring voice telling him everything was going to be alright.  But he couldn’t have that, she was gone.  

As soon as she was under everyone left slowly.  Lance stood there looking at her casket in the ground.  People walked up and threw flowers in and walked away.  He clenched at the grave, he couldn’t stand it.

He lost his rock, his comfort, his support, his sister to a fucking car crash.  And at that moment it dawned on him.

It was all his fault.

That night his mom went to work like usual while Lance was now in charge of the house.  He was laying on the couch, dark circles under his eyes and a tear stained face.  He looked thinner due to not eating as much and non stop moving.

He heard a knock at the door, slowly he got up and answered it.  To his shock it was Keith who came in.  He noticed Lance’s condition and was horrified by his looks.

“Lance?”  He asks.  “You look awful!”

“Thanks.”  Lance walked in, Keith followed him.

“You’re thinner and… God I can’t look at you.”  Keith said.  “Have you been sleeping at all?”

“Maybe.”  Lance flopped on the couch and stayed there.  Keith took the maybe as a no.  He walks up to Lance and rubs his arm.

“Lance everyone is worried about you.  Pidge and Hunk can’t get ahold of you, and they don’t know where you live.”

“I turned my phone off.”  Lance held up his phone.  “It hasn’t been on for… how long has it been now?”

“Lance this isn’t healthy.”  Keith said.  “Come on, maybe you should see Hunk and Pidge.”  Lance shook his head.  “Please, they’re worried about you.”  He still refused.  “Lance, I’m worried about you, look at yourself!”

“I’m fine.”

“Oh like hell you’re fine.”  Keith snapped.  “I’m about to cry looking at you, this is crazy!”  Keith shouts.

“If you’re about to cry then look away.”  Lance said in an almost dead voice.  Keith inhaled and rests his head on Lance’s waist.  He waited for the Cuban to move, or do something besides exist.  That never came up.

Keith held back whatever he was feeling and decided to pull Lance up.

“Come on, you need to eat!”  Keith said.  “I can try to make you something, I can cook better than Shiro.”  Keith tried to lighten the mood.  “Come on Lance.  You didn’t look this bad at the funeral.”

Lance quickly looked at him, Keith sighed and looked away.

“Isabella invited me okay?”  Keith said.  “Forget it.  You need food.”

“I don’t want any.”  Lance tried pulling away, Keith pulled him into the kitchen and looked around.

“What do you have?”  Keith asks, Lance got away and went back to the couch.  Keith sighs.  “Fine I’ll look for something while you lay there like a log.”  Keith continued to look for food while Lance stared at nothing.  He found a box pepperoni Hot Pockets that had Sam’s name written on them.  Keith ignored that and could deal with Sam later, he tore the box open and put one in the microwave.

He read the instructions and punched the time in.  He sat on the counter and waited for the time to end.  He took it out and walked over to Lance with the Hot Pocket, Lance stares at him then back at the wall.

“It’s cold in the middle, also you need a fork.”  He said quietly.

“How the hell would I know that?  I’ve never had a Hot Pocket in my life.”  Keith took it back and tore the stupid junk open and put it in for another thirty seconds.  When that was done he took it out with an oven glove and walked back towards Lance.  He hands Lance the plate with a fork and waited for him to eat.  He pushed it away.

“No no no no!”  Keith pulls Lance up, Lance moans in discomfort and tried laying down.  “For the love of all that is holy please sit up for a second!”  Lance finally sat up and stared at the food in front of him.

“This is Sam’s.”

“I don’t give a shit!”  Keith snaps.  “Just eat it please.”  Keith walked away and came back with a juice pouch.  Lance didn’t touch the food.  “Lance please don’t do this, you need to eat and to rest a-”  He noticed Lance’s leg was moving.  Keith about lost it.

“Are you kidding me?!”  Keith shook Lance, that wasn’t helping but Keith had enough of Lance’s crap.  “You aren’t eating, sleeping, or taking your medication?  What the hell?”

Lance didn’t say anything, he looked at Keith and sighs.

“Keith why are you trying?”

“Cause you’re my friend!”  We promised we’d stay together, that we’d be best friends!”  Keith sounded like he was about to cry.  Lance looked away, he didn’t want someone’s sympathy.  “What’s wrong with you?”  Lance broke and clung to Keith.

“IT’S MY FAULT!”

“What?”  Keith asks.  Lance began to cry, Keith immediately caught on.  “No, no please don’t do this to yourself.”  Keith panicked.  “Please do not do this, it isn’t your fault Lance!”

“She wouldn’t have died if I just walked home, if I didn’t ask her to pick me up.”  Lance said quietly.  “It’s all my fa-”

“SHUT UP!”  Keith shouts.  Lance flinched at Keith shouting.  “This isn’t your fault, you none of this is your fault!”  Lance shook his head.

“When you look at the big picture… it sort of is.”  Lance said quietly.  Keith’s grip tightened.

“HOW WOULD REBECCA FEEL IF SHE SAW YOU LIKE THIS?!”  Keith yells.  Lance glares at Keith.

“Do not do this.”

“Then don’t hurt yourself.  Eat this and sleep.”  Keith tried calming himself down.  Lance glances upstairs then looks back down at the floor.

“I’m watching my siblings.”  Lance said.

“Let me watch them, you need to sleep.”  Keith said, Lance shook his head.  The last thing he wanted was Keith helping him.  He’d be a burden to him.

“No I can watch them, maybe I can sleep tomorrow.”  Lance said.  Keith got up and walked upstairs.  All of kids were sound asleep.  He tip toed his way down the stairs and gave Lance a look that would probably haunt him every time he did something wrong.

“They’re all asleep.”  Keith said.  “Who are you trying to fool?”

“Not what I was trying to do.”  Lance’s voice stayed quiet.  Keith sat next to him and waited for him to eat.  

“I’m sure your sister would say “Why is my dumbass brother starving himself?  I thought he knew better!” and probably start cursing in Spanish or something.”  Keith chuckled a bit.  Lance felt himself smile, Rebecca would say that.  Lance sighs and gave in.  He was practically starving, eating something as gross as a Hot Pocket felt like heaven.  It was gone within minutes, Lance fell back on the couch and kept his eyes open, Keith smirks at him.

“Don’t ask me to sleep.”

“Oh no I’m not asking you, I’m telling you.”  Keith said.  He found a random blanket and tossed it on Lance.  The Cuban huffs and tried keeping his eyes open, his need for sleep was growing, soon enough he was passed out on the couch.

* * *

Lance woke up and looked around his home.  It was morning and he noticed he couldn’t see.  He felt his face.

“Where the hell?”  He looked around the couch squinting, trying to find his glasses.  He hates it when he loses them.  He finally found them slightly under the couch and quickly puts them on.  He looks around now his vision more clear.  Sarah was in the kitchen with someone talking happily, Rico was on Lance’s feet passed out.  Lance grabbed Rico and picked him up, being careful not to wake him up.  He walks into the kitchen and saw Sarah talking to Keith, Lance gave him a shocked look.

“What are you still doing here?”  Lance asks, Keith shrugs.

“I said I’d stay, I’m talking to Sarah right now.”  Keith points at Sarah like it was obvious.  Lance shook his head.

“How long have I been out?”

“You passed out at about eleven thirty and now it’s eight so… almost nine hours.”  Keith made a nine with his hands.  Lance groans and kept Rico in his arms, the toddler about woke up.  Keith notices and points at Rico.  “He came down at about two and laid with you.  It was so quick too.”

“I guess you’ve never had a little sibling before.”  Lance said.

“I am the youngest.”  Keith points out.  “Shiro is only two years older than me, and I didn’t know him till I was eleve-”  He stopped mid sentence.  Lance stares at Keith with a confused face.

“What is that suppose to mean?”  He asks.  “Shiro… isn’t your brother?”

“H-He is, just forget what I said.”  Keith stutters.

“Now that I think about it… you two have different last names.”

“I said forget about it.”  Keith snaps.  “Just forget everything I’ve said!”  Keith turns away, Sarah looks at Lance with a curious face.

“Lance, what does that mean if Keith’s brother has a different last name?”  She asks, Lance looks at her trying not to hurt Keith.

“I-It means they aren’t related sweetie.”

“But it’s his brother, aren’t we related Lance?”

“Of course Sarah, we’re related.  We share the same Mamá and Papa, we’re blood related siblings.”

“What about Keith and his brother?”

“They… they aren’t blood related, they don’t share the same Mamá and Papa.”

“YEAH WE DON’T OKAY?!”  Keith shouts, the two look at him suddenly.  “IS THAT WRONG?!  CAN I NOT BE ADOPTED, IS THAT SO FUCKING WRONG?!”  The whole kitchen went quiet, the outburst woke Rico up.  Luckily for them Rico woke up like it was all peaceful in the morning.  

“I never said it was wrong, I was explaining it to Sarah.”  Lance said.  “Morning Rico.”

“Hi.”  He waves at Keith.  Keith looks away from all of them.

“So you never took your family’s last name?”

“They weren’t my family.”  Keith said quietly.  “Look just forget it please.”  Keith’s voice sounded almost pathetic.  Lance nods and gave into his request.  He put Rico down so he and Sarah could play.  Lance looked back at Keith, the air between them was tense and uncomfortable.  He cleared his throat and spoke.

“So um…”  He rubs his arm awkwardly.  “Thanks for the force treatment, I feel a lot better.”  That got Keith to laugh.

“I shouldn’t have to force you to eat McClain.”  Keith comments.  Lance rolls his eyes and walked back to the living room.  Lance’s smile fades and he lays back down.  Keith walked over and sat next to him, he rubbed Lance’s leg trying to comfort him.  “I’m really sorry about Rebecca, Lance…”  

“I can’t believe she’s gone.”  Lance mutters.  “She was the person I went to for everything.  She was the only one I felt like I could trust with everything.”  Lance sat up and looked at Keith.  “What am I going to do without her?”  Keith couldn’t answer that, he only shook his head.

“I don’t know Lance.  It’s what you make of it I guess, that’s what Shiro told me.”  Keith looked at the dirty floor and kicked at the dust.  “I’m sorry I’m not so good at this… I’ve never had a friend who needed comfort… scratch that I never had a friend but you know what I’m trying to say… that well you’re the first person I’ve had to help and I sound like a total loser…”

Lance giggled a bit and hugged Keith tight.

“Glad to know I’ve got a socially awkward friend to help me get through it.”  He laughed.  Keith’s face burned with embarrassment.  He didn’t mean to sound so awkward he just couldn’t talk.  He hugs Lance back, kind of enjoying the moment.

“Oh my God what is this?”  The two look at Sam who took a picture with his phone.  “My brother hugging the freak of our school, how disgusting!”  He said in a mocking tone.  Lance glared at Sam.

“You know what Sam?”  He smirks at his brother.  “I’ll give you something better.”  Lance pecks Keith’s cheek and smiles, Sam about threw up at the sight of that.

“ _¡Ay! ew usted homosexual pedazo de mierda, repugnante!_ ”  He complained as he walked upstairs, Lance laughed and noticed Keith covering his face.

“WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!”

“To make Sam uncomfortable.”  Lance said calmly.

“WARN A GUY NEXT TIME!”

“Keith calm down it was a peck on the cheek, not like I was frenching you or anything.”  Keith immediately got up after that and walked into the door.  Lance broke out laughing.  “Keith buddy it’s okay!”  

Keith didn’t say anything, his face was flushed pure red, he pouts and looks at the floor.  Lance smirks.

“You know if you want to…”  His eyebrows wiggled, Keith did the same thing again.  Lance lost it.  “You cannot handle being hit on, can you?”

“N-N-No it’s no-not that I -I mean I-  not that I don’t know I-I just…”  He was stuttering.  Lance found him trying to speak absolutely precious, hell everything about Keith was just down right adorable.  His pout, his reactions, his eyes when he’s curious.  Just everything about him.  He threw his arms up.

“That’s it, you are by far the cutest thing I have ever met.”  Lance said.  “Contest over.”

“HUH?!”  Keith asks out loud.  “NO I REFUSE TO BE CALLED CUTE!”

“Too bad.”  Lance stuck his tongue out.  “Cute cute, Keith Kogane is a cutie~”  Lance sang.  Keith ran after Lance trying to shut him up.  He only laughed as he was close to meeting his doom.

“ _Lindo Lindo!  Keith Kogane es un chico lindo~_ ”  Lance kept singing in Spanish, Keith about had it.  He finally caught up to Lance and tackled him.

“I AM NOT CUTE!”  He shouts, Lance faced him and poked his nose.

“Yes you are.”  Keith got off of him and hid his face.  “Forget being an Alpha you are definitely an Omega my friend.”

“I will shove my pocket knife up your ass.”  Keith took it out and glared.

“Kinky.”  Lance teases.

“Forget you I’m going home.  You’d better be back to normal when school comes around.”

“We’ll see.”  Lance said, he stopped Keith before he left.  “Thanks for making me feel a little better.  Remember when I said you were the greatest thing that happened to me?  Well I still mean it, I’m glad you’re my friend.”  Keith gave Lance a warm smile.

“Me too.”  Keith said.  “See you at school.”

“Yeah, bye.”  Lance waves him off.

* * *

That night before their mom left the whole family sat down and enjoyed the silence together.  The McClains stayed close that week, Lance went back into a depressed phase though.  He had no one to distract him from the pain he was feeling.  He knew that someday he’d move forward, but even when Keith tried to help, today was not that day.  Sam looked at Lance and pats his head.

Sarah sat close to her mother while Rico played on the floor, everyone just watched the toddler play.  After what felt like hours a knock came at the door.  Lance got up to answer.

“I’ve got it.”  He noticed no one else moved.  “Well no need to jump all at once.”  That got his mom to laugh.  “Hello?”  He saw an average height white man with red hair standing before him, Lance’s face turned sour.

“Yo, long time no see.”

“Antonio?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooooh what'll happen next?


	14. Someone's Home

Antonio stood in the doorway hands in his pocket looking very pleased.  Lance was just confused.

“W-What are you doing here?”  Lance asks.  He felt Sam at his side glaring at Antonio.

“Get out of here, we promised to stay out of your life if you didn’t interfere with ours!”  Sam hisses.  Antonio pushes his younger brother back.

“Aw seriously?”  He growls.  “I lose my little sister and this is how you treat me, ya little shit.”

“ _¿El hombre que eligió a lado de papá me está llamando la mierda?_ ”  Sam asks in a cruel tone.  Lance had to get in front of Sam cause Antonio would’ve slapped him for saying that.  Instead he just glared at his brother, those brown eyes piercing both boys who stood before him.

“ _Al menos yo no elijo al maricón._ ”

“What did I do?”  Lance asks.  “You know damn well Mamá got the rights over us, you and Rebecca had a choice.”  He glared at his brother.  “And you made your choice very clear.”

“Making me sound like I’m a bad guy.”  Antonio hisses.  “Whatever, Mamá I want to know why you didn’t invite Papa or I to the funeral.”

“Well…”  She couldn’t speak, even though he choose her husband that was her kid, her first one.  She still loved her baby, even if he was cruel to her.  Even if he said horrid things to her during the divorce.

“She doesn’t have to answer you!”  Sam shouts.  “You are nothing to us now!  LEAVE!”  Sam pushes Antonio.  Antonio slaps Sam hard in the face, Lance held onto Sam before he fell over.  The youngest two ran upstairs in fear, whatever was going on they did not want to be a part of it.

Both boys sat there looking up at Antonio, he glared at Sam specifically.  Both boys felt the same fear though, they knew that their older brother hated them.  He hated Sam for pushing him, he hated Lance for obvious reasons.  Antonio wasn’t a tolerable person, Lance wanted him gone but he was too scared to say anything.  He knew his brother was stronger.

Both Sam and Lance jumped when they heard a car door shut.  Lance’s fear grew, he slowly looked up at Antonio.

“D-Don’t tell me…”  He about cried.  The door opens and a burly man walks in, Lance held onto Sam.  Sam held his brother in a protective manner, glaring at the man.  Isabella put her hands over her mouth.

She couldn’t say anything, nor could Lance.  Sam gulps and gave the man a fake smile.

“Hello Papa.”  He said in a tone that signaled how unhappy he was.  He looks down and smiles at Sam.

“If it isn’t Samuel, you’ve grown quite a bit haven’t you?”  Sam nods, Lance tried hiding in his brother but his father could see him perfectly.

“How are you Lance?”  He asks.  Lance stayed quiet, he looked at his father then back at Sam’s neck.  He hated that man, more like he feared him.  This man did horrible things to their family.  He was an awful man with an awful temper.

“Lance, say hi to your Papa.”  Isabella said.  Lance managed to croak out a hello before running upstairs, Sam stayed with his mom in case something happened.  Lance saw Sarah and Rico sitting in their room on Sarah’s bed.  They looked at Lance in surprise.

“Lances, who’s dat man?”  Rico asks.  Lance shook his head.

“I-It’s no one Rico.”  Lance said.  “B-But another man showed up to talk to Mamá so we have to stay here.  Sarah’s eyes grew in fear, she about cried.

“We don’t have to go back do we?  I don’t wanna go back Lance, I don’t want to!”  Lance hugged Sarah before she could cry.

“Shh no no we don’t have to sweetie, we live here now.  We don’t have to go back there, this is our home now.”

“I like it here.”  She whimpers.  “I like it here more.”  

* * *

That night was filled with yelling, just like old times.  Lance covered his ears and tried drowning them out.  He was pissed that those two who promised to stay out of their lives were now staying with them till everything with Rebecca was closed.  Lance was sickened by them, they never gave a shit about her, now that she’s gone they show up and make their lives worse.

Lance hated both of them but was too afraid of them.  Their mom left them to go to work while the kids stayed alone with those two.  Lance felt so scared, he saw his dad drive off somewhere but he knew Antonio was still asleep downstairs.  He sighs and got off his bed and looked outside.  He walked to the window and stared at the cloudy sky, it was as colorless as his life right now.

Minutes rolled by and his dad came back, Lance walked away from his window and flopped back on his bed, wishing that the damn night would be over with and those two would leave.

* * *

“So you go back to school tomorrow?”  Antonio asks the kids, they all nod and continue to eat.  “What grade you guys in?”

“I’m a Senior, Sam’s a Sophomore, and Sarah’s in third grade.”  Lance said, he pushed up his glasses and continued to eat his breakfast.  Antonio laughs.

“Why you wearing those fucking things again?”  He asks.  “Trying to stay in style?”

“No I don’t have contacts anymore, I ran out.”  Lance huffs.  “I’ll get more as soon as we have enough for an eye appointment.”  He finished his food and grabbed his jacket, he father stopped him.

“Hold it _mi hijo_ , where do you think you’re going?”  He asks in a demanding tone.  Lance shrugs, he usually went out to the cafe but as of late he didn’t want to see anyone.  Now he walked outside to clear his head.  His dad pushed him back.  “You’re staying here, none of you are to leave, got it?”

“Huh?”  Lance was shocked.  “That’s not fair!  I’m an adult I can take care of myself!”

“And I’m in charge, you are not to leave.  I’m keeping an eye on all of you.”  He growls.  “We lost someone and you think we should go out and do shit?  No you’re staying with your family.”  Lance threw his jacket off and stormed to his room, he slams it shut and groans.  He hated that man, a fucking control freak.

He heard his phone go off, he saw Keith trying to text him asking how he was doing.  Lance put it down and didn’t answer, he didn’t want Keith to know who was at his home.

* * *

His father’s control has gotten worse over the past few days, their mom couldn’t go out unless it was work and the kids had to stay home, no going to school.  They had to give him their cell phones just so no one weird contacts them.  It was like their old life all over again.  

Lance sat on the couch playing with a paddle ball while his father was out, Antonio was with him mom in the laundry room helping her.  Lance heard a knock at the door.

His father said no answering the door but Lance hated that man so he walked over and answered it.  Keith was in the doorway looking confused and pissed at the same time, Lance gave him a sad look.

“What is it Keith?”

“That’s it?  What is it?  Lance where the hell have you been?  School started three days ago!”  Keith walked in, Lance panicked.

“Ah Keith w-wait!”

“No, listen to me!  You haven’t answered anyone’s calls or texts, you haven’t come to school, we’re all worried about you!  I thought you were hurting yourself again, I fucking panicked!”  Keith pushed Lance in frustration.

“I shouldn’t have to worry myself over you!  I should go on knowing you’re okay, but my mind is racing and I’m scared and … you’re scaring me Lance!”  Keith continued to shout, that got Antonio’s attention.

“Lance, you answered the door?  Papa said no answering the door, final!”  He stopped and noticed Keith.  “Well well what do we have here?”  He asks in a creepy tone.  “Who is this little guy?”

“Back off Antonio!”  Lance snaps, he flinched when Antonio glared at him.  “T-This is my friend Keith, I was about to send him off.  He was worried is all.”

“Worried, about you?”  He looks at Keith.  “No need to worry, he’s safe and sound.”  He smirks.  “My aren’t you a pretty boy~  You know my brother is into men.”

“I-I know…”  Keith stutters, Antonio was honestly freaking him out.  He held himself close to avoid him.  Antonio smirk never left.

“Lance you’re friend is pretty cute for a boy, if it wasn’t for the voice I’d say you were a girl.”  He made fun of Keith, the poor guy backed away trying not to get mad.  Antonio grabbed Keith’s chin and made him look up, crossed the line.

“G-Get away from me!”  Keith pushed Antonio and ran towards Lance, he coward behind his friend.  Keith could fight, could get mad.  But this guy just made him uneasy.

“Leave him alone Antonio.”  Lance said.  He grabs Keith’s waist and moved him to the door, Antonio smirks.

“Lance is this a boyfriend?”  Lance jumped at the sound of that.

“No no Keith is only my friend, he is a friend!”  He panics.  “Look I’ll lead him out, so just back off okay?  And please don’t tell Papa.”  Lance walked out and looked at Keith who really wanted answers.  “Look that’s my brother Antonio… I can’t talk about it okay?”

“And people say I’m bad.”  Keith pouts.  “I want an answer now.”

“Keith please I can’t talk to you or to anyone right now.”  Keith wasn’t leaving.  “Please?”

“Now.”  

“Don’t be difficult!”  Lance whines.  Antonio walks out and joins them.

“ _¿Qué es la retención?_ ”  He asks.  Lance glares at his brother and pulled Keith close, he whispers something to him.  Keith nods, giving one last glare to Antonio he walked to his car.

“There he’s gone, ya happy?”

“Quite.”

“You won’t tell Papa?”

“Oh I might.”  He smirks.  “Unless you promise me you give me your chicken tonight~”

“ _¡Oh mierda odio, usted poco perra!_ ”  

“ _¿Sí? Bueno no soy el idiota que respondió la puerta._ ”  Antonio walks into the house, Lance watched his brother slowly and walks in himself.

* * *

The rest of the day didn’t get better, Lance sat at the dinner table eating only vegetables cause his snitch of a brother.  His dad gave him a look as he watched his son eat.

“You a vegetarian or something?”  

“Huh?”  Lance looks up.  “N-No I felt like having a salad tonight is all.”  He lied, his father rolled his eyes and continued eating.  Lance looks at his siblings, all of them looked so depressed and tired.  Sarah especially, poor girl can’t go see her friends or go outside.  She mainly stayed in her room reading to Rico or playing toys with him.  However they were running out of books and had little to do.  

Sam picked it at his food wanting to leave so badly.  Rico was still upstairs, he kept hiding whenever Antonio or their father went to get him.  Lance told them to give up cause Rico would come down whenever.  They surprisingly listened and left the toddler alone.

The others wish they got the same treatment.  He noticed his mom staying quiet, he knew she was afraid of their father.  He felt anger boil up, no woman or man or anyone should fear their spouse.  Lance got up and walked to his room, he was done anyways.  His father glared at him.

“Lance, where do you think you’re going?”

“I’m done so I’m going to my room.”  Lance points towards his room.

“No you’re not, sit back down till everyone is done.”  His father points to his chair, Lance sighs and walked towards his chair.  He sat there impatiently, his leg began to bounce.  It was worse due to him not taking his medication.

His father got annoyed with it in seconds.  He slams his hands on the table, everyone jumped.

“Will you knock that off?!”  He points at his leg.

“Um Papa.”  Antonio spoke up.  “You know Lance can’t help that.  It’s his hyperactive disorder.”

“What?”  He glared at his son.  Lance didn’t speak up, he held onto his leg and pressed onto it hard to keep it from minimal bouncing, though he should’ve known nothing stops it from bouncing.  It overpowers all, especially if you have strong legs.  Lance held his eyes closed as his father got mad at him.  He tried holding back tears as he yelled at his son.

“You can control it can’t ya?  Or is this something else you can’t control like you being gay!”  He hissed, Lance slowly looked up at him.

“Um… bi Papa.”

“What?!”

“I-I’m bi Papa, bisexual.”  He said quietly.  “Bisexual… I like both.”

“Both what?”

“I like both men and women… that’s it.”  He said.  His father rolled his eyes.

“Ya can’t pick one?”  He asked in a cruel tone.  Sam got fed up with his father, he slams his hands on the table like he did earlier.

“NO HE CAN’T!”  Sam shouts.  “JUST LEAVE HIM ALONE ALREADY!  HE CAN LIKE BOTH, THAT IS A THING!”

“Sam…”  Lance tried to calm his brother down.  Didn’t work, Sam did have his father’s rage after all.

“HE HAS TO DEAL WITH THAT SHIT EVERYDAY!  PEOPLE AT SCHOOL MADE FUN OF HIS FRIEND KEITH FOR BEING GAY, YA THINK HE FEELS SECURE ABOUT TELLING ANYONE NOW?!  LET HIM FEEL SAFE AT HOME!”  Sam got slapped immediately, he fell on the floor holding his face.  Their mother held her mouth, she cried seeing her baby hurt.  Sarah covered her eyes trying not to watch.  Antonio flinched, he even knew that was going a bit far.

Lance got down at Sam’s level.  He grabs his little brother and helped him up, Sam got out of Lance’s grasp and ran upstairs.  Everyone sat quietly, Lance sat down and ignored his father’s glare the best he could.

* * *

Lance watched his father leave the house again for some unknown reason, he heard the car go through the rain.  He hops on the edge of his bed and stood on his toes to look at Sam who was fast asleep on his bunk.  He kissed his brother’s cheek and climbed down quietly.  Lance looked at Antonio who was watching TV, he waited for his brother to pass out.  As soon as the show was over he passed out on the couch.  He tip toed towards the window in the back near the kitchen.  He waited, finally someone knocked.

Lance looked at Keith from the other side.  Lance opened it and helped Keith in, trying to be quiet.  Lance picked Keith up to get him through the window and slowly looked at Antonio, he was still asleep.  He sighs and signals Keith to be quiet.

The two tiptoe up the stairs and quietly go into his room.  Again signaled him to be quiet for Sam.  Lance grabbed something for Keith to change in and leads him to Rebecca’s room.

Keith was surprised by her room.  A pale pink with flower stickers and cute things everywhere, her room was like a room for a little girl.  Rebecca was quite childish.  

Lance sat down, Keith looks at his shyly.

“I-I waited for a while so I’m soaked and…”  Lance rolls his eyes and covered them.

“I am a guy you know, what I’ll see isn’t new to me.”  He reminded Keith, he didn’t care and kept changing.  Keith sat next to him on the bed signaling him that he can uncover his eyes.  Lance looks at Keith and smiles, again everything was too big.  It just added to Keith’s adorable image.

“You promised an answer, I want one.”  He said.  Lance nods and fiddles with his hands and fingers.

“Y-Yeah so um… mi Papa is back and…”

“Didn’t your parents get a divorce?”

“Yeah… he isn’t suppose to be here, but… Rebecca…”  Lance looked down remembering his sister, damn he was missing her more and more as the days continued like this.

“Lance, I know you miss your sister but you’ve got to talk to me.”  Keith said.  “Why haven’t you been at school or talking to anyone?  I-”  Keith stopped for a moment.  “I thought you broke your promise.”

“No no I never did, I’m stuck here.”  He said, he heard a strange sound and looked at Keith.  He held his stomach with his eyes wide.  Lance chuckled.  “How long were you waiting?”

“S-Shut up.”  Keith hissed.  Lance got up and walked downstairs to find something for Keith.  He noticed his brother was awake and looking outside.  He froze and waited quietly for Antonio to fall asleep.  Instead Antonio got up and walked outside.  Lance waited for a minute before walking into the kitchen and looking around.  Lance looked at the snacks he had.  Yogurt, no.  Ice cream, another no.  Cheese dippers, nadda.  Lance became annoyed now noticing how many snacks have dairy in them.  He grabbed a piece of bread and peanut butter.  He made a small sandwich and grabbed a water bottle and ran upstairs before Antonio came back.

He walks back into Rebecca’s room and silently closes the door.

“Okay I realise how much shit has dairy in it so the only thing I could make you is a crunchy peanut butter sandwich, sorry it’s crunchy we ran out of smooth and crunchy was on sale according to Papa so it’s all we have.  But I have this too, I am so sorry we don’t have many things for you I just-”  He stopped when he heard Keith laugh.  

“It’s fine, give it here.”  He took the sandwich from Lance and ate it all quickly.  Lance hands the water bottle to his friend and looked at the room.

“Mi Papa is controlling.”  He finally said.  “You cannot do anything unless you have permission from him.  Mi Mamá can only go to work, nothing else.  All of us kids cannot leave the house at all unless he’s with us.”  Lance looked at Keith.  “He took our phones from us… I cannot answer the phone or the door.”  

“What the hell?  Is this even legal?”  Keith asks.  Lance shrugs and looks at the floor.  

“I don’t know, I’ve lived like this before.  I remember him being somewhat like this after Sam was born.  But then one day it got ... well this bad and then one thing after another.  The last thing was I came out to my family and then…”  He stopped himself.  “Well after that, the divorce happened.  The end.”  Lance said.

“What are you going to do about this?”  Keith asks.

“Dunno.”  Lance shrugs.  “Well that’s it… I don’t have anyone to talk to anymore so this was kind of nice.  To vent to someone.”  He rests his head on Keith’s shoulder.  “Thanks for listening.  I promise I’ll find a way out of this.”

“Not your job to find a way.”  Keith said and rests his head on Lance’s.  Lance laughs a bit.

“I need to get him out, mi Mamá is too scared and I’m the eldest now.”  Lance said, Keith felt like no matter what he said, the idiot was going to try and solve this issue on his own.  The two heard the door open.  Lance freaked out and grabbed Keith’s arm and snuck back into his room.

“Crap…”  He whines as he saw his father return home.  He looks at Keith.  “I’m so sorry for trapping you here.”

“Guess I stay here?”  Keith asks, Lance groans and points at his bed.  Keith walked over  and sat on his bed.  Lance pushed Keith towards the wall.

“You’re there and I’m here, Papa won’t come in here.  So he won’t see you, but just in case you’ll be near the wall where he can’t see you.”

“Okay?”  Keith covered up laid on his side.  Lance laid flat on his back and stared at the bunk above him.  He noticed Keith’s big eyes staring right at him, his heart raced.  He was giving him a new look, surprised but unsure.

“You okay?”

“Are you?”

“I-I’m fine.  Just hoping mi Papa doesn’t come in.”  Lance said quietly.

“He won’t.”  Keith said, he brought his hands close to his face and passed out.  Lance couldn’t sleep, he was way too worried.  He felt Keith get close, Lance slowly looks down and groans.

“Great… he’s a cuddler.”  He tried falling asleep with Keith right at his side.

* * *

A loud bang woke up all three boys in the room.  

“WAKE UP BOYS!”  Their father calls.  They all groan, Keith faceplants back into the pillow.  Lance got up and saw Sam crawl down.

“Morning Sam.”

“Morni-”  He looks at Lance’s bed.  “WHAT THE-”  Lance covers his brothers mouth.

“ _Hermano_ please!”  Lance whines.  He slowly removed his hand from Sam’s mouth.  Sam points at Keith.

“What is he doing here, are you trying to get killed?”  He asked in a dark tone.

“N-No Keith needed answers so I snuck him in and then we talked for a while and-”

“Your old man came home so I had to stay the night.  Don’t give me away Sam.”  Keith said.  Samuel glares at Keith.

“I’ll keep you safe for Lance, don’t think I like you or anything freak.”  Sam hisses.  Lance pats Sam’s shoulder.

“Thanks Sam.”

“Only for you.”  He said.  Lance nods and began to get changed.  Sam covered Keith’s head.  “I prefer you stay under while we change, faggot.”  Keith growls at Sam but didn’t argue.  He stayed under the blanket and waited for them to leave.  

Lance got done and lifts the blankets off of Keith, he stared at Lance with his big violet eyes.  Lance about dropped them, damn Keith for being so cute.

“Um, I’ll get you when it’s safe to come out.  So stay in here and stay quiet.”  Lance said.  Keith nods and laid on the bed staring at Lance with that unusual look again.  Lance smiles and walked out.  

“Morning Lance.”  Antonio said.  “What’s up?”

“Nothing.”  Lance said.  Sam sighs.

“Like usual.”  He said.  Their mom came over and pats Sam’s head trying to tell him it’ll be okay.  Isabella hasn’t spoken in days, the kids miss her calming voice, they missed a lot of things actually.

“So what are you doing today?”  Lance asks.  Antonio and their dad look at him.

“Um… nothing.  Papa?”  Antonio looks at their dad.

“Going out again.”

“Where do you usually go?”  Sam asks.  Their dad walks off not answering his son.  Antonio took a sip of coffee.

“He doesn’t have to tell you what he’s doing.”

“You know I’m guessing.”  Sam said.  Antonio smirks.

“What of it?”  That irritated the boys.  Sarah walks down with an empty plate and put it in the sink, she looks at her mom.

“Mamá, Rico ate again so he’s okay.  Want me to bring him his breakfast?”  She asked.  Isabella nods and hands Sarah Rico’s food.  Lance had to draw the line somewhere past the point of pure cruelty.  The fact that Rico was way too scared to come down should be that line.  Rico is only two and thinks that some strangers are in his home.

He practically lives upstairs till his father and Antonio leave.  Lance walked towards the TV and watched whatever was on, Sam sat next to him and watched with him, he looks at Lance and points upstairs.

“Oh I’ll get him out tonight.”  He whispers.

“You’d better.”  A silence fell between them.  “Did you two sleep together?”

“We had to share a bed.”  Lance said.

“No I mean… uh you know.”  Lance took a moment to process what his brother was asking.  Then…

“NO!”  Lance shouts.  “WE’RE JUST FRIENDS, GOD DAMMIT WHY DOES EVERYONE ASSUME WE AREN’T?!”

“Well he’s gay, you’re bi.  I think you can draw up your own conclusion.”  Sam said.

“He’s my friend!  That’s it!”  He smacks Sam’s head, he smiled playfully at his older brother.  “I don’t go after the first gay guy I meet, I have standards.”

“Oh you do?”

“ _Cerró usted pedazo de mierda. Han burlado de Keith para hombres de gusto antes, ¿recuerda?_ ”  Lance gave his brother a look, practically pouting.  Sam held his arms up in defence.

“ _Sí sí recuerdo Lance._ ”  Sam said.  Lance huffs and looks back at the TV.  Both boys were consumed by it though they didn’t know what else they could do.

* * *

“What?”  Shiro asks over a facetime.

“I said I’m in a closet, can’t you see?”

“No actually… I can’t see anything at the moment.  Too dark in there.”  Shiro said.  “Where are you anyways?  I thought you went to see Lance.”

“I did… I’m in Lance’s closet.”  Keith said to his brother.  A long pause between the two.

“Why…?”

“I’m hiding.”

“I don’t want to know.”

“So Shiro.”  Keith starts.  “Can I ask you something?  It may come off as weird and slightly illegal but answer it anyways.”  Shiro was worried about what Keith was going to ask.  “Is it wrong for someone to trap their entire family in their home, and not let them leave, go to school, have a social life, or have any contact with the outside world?”  Shiro gave his brother a look.

“Keith the answer to that should be obvious.”

“A noooo?”

“Yes Keith, the answer is yes.  That isn’t slightly illegal at all, that’s full on illegal.  A person cannot imprison people in their home.”  A pause.

“So it’s wrong?”

“Yes it’s wrong!”

“Like completely wrong.”

“Why are you so unsure about this?  Keith it is wrong, you shouldn’t question that!  No normal human goes “is it okay to trap people?”.”  Shiro said.

“I was just unsure, jeez make me sound like an idiot.”

“YOU DO SOUND LIKE AN IDIOT!”  Shiro shouts, he leaned back against his chair and groans.  “Look Keith I have to go to work in a second.”  Keith’s heart sank.

“R-Really?”

“Yeah sorry, come home soon.”  He said.  “Later Keith.”

“Okay… bye Takashi, love you.”

“Love you too.”  Face time ends.  Keith looks around the closet and sighs, it was dark in there, Shiro definitely did not see him.

He opens the door slightly and peeks out.  No one was there but he felt safer if he hid in the closet, plus it was warmer than the room so bonus.  He kept it open so he could have some sort of light.  He was really bored.

* * *

Lance slouched on the couch watching his dad call someone, he missed his phone but he wouldn’t tell his dad that.  He might get mad at him and tell him that he was addicted.  Any excuse to keep it from him.

Sarah came down and puts Rico’s plate away.  Lance saw her run up quickly to be by her baby brother’s side.  He wishes he could be with him but Lance needed to be near Sam and his mom.  They needed him just as much, plus Sarah has been doing a good job protecting him from their father and brother.

“That little monster going up to her den again?”  Antonio asks.

“That monster is your sister ya know.”  Lance hisses, Antonio laughs.

“Her?  She looks nothing like me.  I bet Mamá had an affair.”

“She did not.”  Lance defends her.  “And it’s not like I look like you either.”  He points out.  Antonio shrugs.

“I remember you being born, also you have Papa’s eyes.”

“Ew.”  Lance said.

Their dad came in moments after his call ended and he walked up to Isabella.  He hands her a piece of paper.

“Can you sign this for me?”  He asks.  She looks up at her ex and back at the paper.

“W-What is it?”

“Just sign it.”  He demands, Isabella about gave in.  Lance was fed up with how he was treating his mom.  He storms up and took the pen from her.

“What is she signing Papa?”  He asks coldly.

“Stay out of it Lance.  She should sign it.”

“What.  Is.  She.  Signing?”  Lance asks again more demanding.

“Back away now.”

“Why are you making Mamá sign such weird things.”  He took the paper and held it close to him.  “Is it money?  Are you trying to get money from us?!”

“Lance-”

“ _¿ESTÁS TRATANDO DE HACERNOS MAL?_ ”

“ _¡PUESTO POR AHORA TE CAGO HIJO!_ ”  He growls.  Lance shook his head and took a step back, starting to feel that same fear as always.

“¡ _NO, NO! ¡DIME LO QUE VAS A HACER CON LA FIRMA DE MAMÁ!_ ”

“NOW LANCE!”

“NO!  I WON’T!  YOU CAN’T HAVE MAMÁ’S SIGNATURE!”

“GIVE IT TO ME!  QUIT BEING A BRAT AND RESPECT YOUR PAPA!”

“ _¡USTED NO ES PAPA MÍO!_ ”  That was the last straw.  Isabella and Antonio gawked at Lance for having the balls to say that to his father.

“WHAT WAS THAT?!”

“YOU HEARD ME!”  Lance shouts in absolute fear, knowing he fucked up.  No going back now though.  “ _¡USTED NO ES PAPA MÍO!_ ”

“WHY YOU LITTLE-”

“Um…”  They all stopped and turned to see Keith standing there holding his arm.  Lance’s eyes grew wide, why did he come down?  “I… I heard yelling and I got scared so… so I came down to see what was up.”  He said.  Isabella walks over to him.

“ _Mi hijo,_ what are you doing here?”  She asks in a calm voice, she hugs Keith wondering how the hell he got in the house without the control freak knowing.  He looked at Lance’s father and could see why Lance feared him.  The guy was massive, larger than both of his fathers.  Keith stayed close to Isabella.

He points at Keith, giving the poor Korean a death look as he walked over.

“Who the hell are you?  How did you get in, and why are you wearing my son’s clothes?”  He asked in a low voice, Keith tried so very hard to not show this man any fear.

“Ah… um well I uh… you see sir I-”

“Jesús.”  She stops him from coming closer.  “This boy is Lance’s friend, Keith.”  His father remembered that name.  Sam mentioned Lance having a gay friend named Keith.  He looked at Lance and slapped him across the face, knocking his glasses off his face.  Keith yelped and covered his mouth in shock.

“WHAT KIND OF BULLSHIT IS THIS?”  He asks his son who was holding his now bloody nose on the floor.

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about!”  Lance shouts.  He grabs his son by his shirt collar and lifts him back on his feet, Lance was his height so he couldn’t lift his son off the ground.

“I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THIS IS!  WHAT IS THIS BOY, HUH?  SOME STUPID BOYFRIEND OF YOURS?!  IS THIS YOUR FAGGOT BOYFRIEND?!”

“NO HE’S NOT!”  Lance shouts in anger, he has had it.  “CAN’T I HAVE A FRIEND WHO UNDERSTANDS WHAT IT’S LIKE TO LIKE SOMETHING THAT’S NOT A FUCKING VAGINA YOU PIECE OF SHIT I HAVE TO CALL A FATHER?!”  Lance was slapped again, his nose broke that time.

“WHY IS HE WEARING YOUR CLOTHES?  DID YOU SLEEP WITH HIM?!”

“NO I DIDN’T!”  Lance shouts back trying to hold his nose.

“ _¡NO MENTIRA PUTO A MÍ!_ ”

“ _¡NO ESTOY MINTIENDO!_ ”  

“YOU EXPLAIN RIGHT NOW!”  He points at Keith who was now clinging to Isabella.

“DON’T YELL AT HIM, HE DID NOTHING WRONG!”

“QUIET!”  He shoves Lance down, he was being beaten like the day he came out.  Lance looked at his poor friend.

He noticed Keith was… crying?  He was looking directly at Lance practically in tears, it was worse than homecoming night.  He was crying out loud.  It broke his heart to hear Keith sobbing.

Lance’s father picked Lance up again, ready to smack him to get an answer out of him.

“PLEASE STOP!”  Keith cried.  They all look at him.  He said nothing, no one did anything.  “This… this is my fault… isn’t it?”  Keith asked, then bolts towards the door.

“Wait KEITH!”  Lance shouts.  The last thing he wanted was his friend to blame himself on this.  He couldn’t run after him this time, couldn’t say it was okay.  Couldn’t call him to explain, couldn’t talk to him at school.

Keith was left with the thought that all of this was his fault.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear I about broke my caps lock


	15. At Fault

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is more centered around Keith.

Keith ran to his car and bursts into tears, that was all his fault.  Like everything else that got hurt in his life.  All that was because he walked in and showed himself.  He hated himself, he hated everything about himself.

He hated that he wasn’t normal.  He hated that he was gay, that he liked theories like some nut job.  That he was practically an orphan, that he had hurt everyone he ever cared about.  That the person he cared about the most was being beaten right now.  Out of everything he hated, he hated himself the most.

* * *

Allura looks up when the door opened to the apartment opened, Keith walks in still wearing Lance’s clothes.  She was confused but ran up to him worried and relieved nonetheless.  She was glad to see him safe and sound.

“Oh God Keith.”  She hugs him.  “Where the quiznak have you been?”  She used her made up swear word when asking.  Keith looked up at her and began to cry.

“I hurt Lance.”

“What?”

“I hurt Lance Allura.”  He hugs her tight.  “I didn’t mean to hurt him, I’m sorry.”

“W-Why are you apologizing to me?  Apologize to Lance.”

“I can’t, his father is beating him because I was there.”  Allura froze at that.

“What was that?”

“Lance’s father is beating him because I was there.  He thought I was dating him or thought we had sex or something!  He was getting hurt because of me.”  He looked at Allura.  “I hurt my first friend.”

“W-Wait is Lance being abused by his father?  Keith is Lance being abused?  Tell me!”  Allura’s protective big sister instinct kicked in.  She knew Lance for a short while, but she thought of him as her little brother.  Not like Keith who was going to be her brother-in-law who she still loved dearly, but he had Shiro still.  She also knew Lance had recently lost his sister.

“I was so scared… I ran away…”  He noticed his clothes.  “I forgot my clothes at his house.”

“Yeah… I noticed those were baggy.  At least you remembered your shoes.”  Oddly enough he was wearing them.  “But enough of that, please tell me the truth Keith.  Is Lance’s father abusing him?”

“I hurt him.  Him being beaten is all my fault.”

“God dammit Keith.”  Allura groans, she lead Keith to the couch and took his shoes off for him.  He curled his legs up to his chest when they were off.  Allura grabs her phone and calls Shiro.

Keith stayed on the couch.  He noticed Black, Shiro’s pet cat, hop up, sniff Keith and rub against Keith to get his scent on him.  Keith pet’s Black and watched Allura pace around the small kitchen.  He heard Shiro pick up on Allura’s phone.

“Shiro?”

“What is it Princess, everything alright?”

“No, Keith came home in tears!  He said Lance is hurt and it’s all his fault.  I think Lance is being abused by his father!”

“A-Allura calm down, did Keith say he was being abused?”

“I can’t get a proper answer out of him.  Come home and try to talk to him, maybe you can get him to speak the truth.”

“I can’t just leave, I’m at work.”

“When you get home.”

“What about you?  What are you doing home?”  Shiro asks.

“I’m closing the cafe today!”  She said.  “I was picking something up but like hell I’m working when Keith is like this and a friend of ours is possibly in danger!”  She snaps.  “Come home ASAP!”

“Yes Princess, please calm down.”

“NO!”  She hung up and looked at Keith.  “Come on, you’re coming with me to close the cafe.”  She said.  Keith nods and follows his sister outside to close the store with her.  They lived fairly close so they got their quickly.

Allura walks in and closes everything and shuts all machines off.  She made Keith count the money that was made while she restocked everything for tomorrow.  Keith took out his calculator on his phone and slowly counted everything.

Allura walked up to him when she was all done restocking, he’d been done a while ago but restocking all the coffee and throwing out all the old pastries that didn’t get sold took some time.

“What did we make today?”

“Counting the money from credit cards?  One hundred and five dollars and twenty eight cents.”

“Good.”  Allura took the money from the register and puts it in her purse.  “Remind me to stop at the bank tonight when Shiro comes home.”

“Okay.”  Keith nods quietly and walks back home with Allura.  They walk into their apartment and Keith walked to the couch.  He saw Black was still on the couch.  Lazy thing didn’t move a muscle.  

“Nothing to do now accept wait for Shiro.”  Allura sighs.  She looked at Keith again who was back to looking at nothing and petting Black.  She walked up to him and sat on the chair next to the couch.  “Keith sweetheart, you have to tell me what’s going on.  You cannot lie to me about something like this.”

“I’m not lying about anything.”  Keith barely made that a hearable sentence.

“It’s not your fault that something like this is happening.”

“Yes it is.”  Keith said.  “I shouldn’t have befriended him.”  Allura groans.

“Takashi come home now!”

* * *

Shiro walks in quietly, Allura runs up to him and drags him inside.

“Stop stop I’m coming, I know you need me to talk to Keith but slow down!”  He panics.

“No now!  I cannot break him, he’s been sitting on the couch with Black for the past hour.  He will not talk to me!”  Allura was obviously done with Keith’s behavior.  She doesn’t know how he works.  Shiro rubs Allura’s shoulder and walks towards Keith.

Keith didn’t look at his brother when he came in.  Shiro picked his cat up and sat down where Black was sitting, he placed the cat on his lap.  It stayed with it’s owner and rests on his lap purring at Shiro’s presence.  

“Keith, what happened today?”

“I hurt Lance.”

“Can you tell me why you hurt him?”  Shiro asks.  Keith brought his knees closer to his chest and looked at the floor.

“I was suppose to stay hidden till his father left so I could sneak out.  I wasn’t suppose to stay in his home.  His dad doesn’t want people there.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”  Keith answers.  “But I heard yelling and I got scared and worried so I went down to see it and Lance’s dad saw me.  He thought since I was wearing Lance’s clothes I had sex with him… or something like that.  And he beat Lance, it’s my fault that he was being beaten.”

“Keith.”  Shiro got his brother to look at him.  “Is Lance’s father abusing him and the others?”

“Well.”

“Is he?”  Shiro asks again.  “This isn’t something you hide Keith, you have to answer honestly, yes or no.  Is Lance’s family being abused by this man?

“Um…”

“Tell me what you saw, not just about Lance.”  Shiro rubs Keith’s back, trying to keep his brother calm and open.

“I didn’t see much but Lance told me what was going on.”  He said.  “Lance doesn’t have his phone, his dad took it.  None of the kids are going to school, they can’t leave without him going with them.  Isabella has no control over him, she’s too scared.”  Keith took a deep breath and continued.

“He keeps them in the house and doesn’t let them leave at all.  But he keeps leaving for some odd reason and no one can figure out what he’s doing.”  He remembered what happened before he ran away.  “He wanted Isabella… that’s Lance’s mom, to sign something for him.  I couldn’t really tell what they were yelling about cause they started to yell in Spanish but it sounded serious.”

“When did he show up?”  Allura asks now joining the conversation.

“He showed up after Lance’s sister, Rebecca, passed away if I remember correctly.”  Keith said.  Both Shiro and Allura made an ‘Ah’ noise and nod at each other.  “What?”

“He’s trying to get Rebecca’s insurance money, no parent won the rights to her cause she was probably older than eighteen right?”

“I don’t know… Rebecca was working though and she looked older than eighteen.”  Keith said quietly.  Shiro knew it.

“He’s robbing them of her money.  It would’ve gone to her mom if he hadn’t shown up.  He’s there to get her money and leave.”

“What?”  Keith looked at Shiro, that was horrible.  Surely no human was that sick to come in at the last second and take his dead daughter’s money.

“It’s true, sick bastard.”  Allura growls.  “He’ll leave as soon as he gets it.”

“But doesn’t Isabella need it?”

“She probably needs it more than ever now that she’s going through grief.”  Shiro said.  “So Keith…  This man is holding his kids there with no means of communication, why?”

“I don’t know, he didn’t like me being there that’s for sure.”  He said.  Allura spoke up with a theory.

“My guess is he doesn’t want anyone to know he’s there because he has no right to be there.  He’s probably breaking the law by being there so he doesn’t want his kids to rat him out.”

“That isn’t very likely Allura.”  Keith said, Shiro paused Keith.

“That might actually be the reason Keith.”  Shiro said.  “They got a divorce right?  Maybe he wasn’t allowed to see her anymore, that those two were to stay far from each other.  Well he wants Rebecca’s money and doesn’t want to get caught.”

“That’s horrible.”  Keith cried.

“And it’s reality Keith, some people are born wicked and cruel.”  Allura said.  “He will pay for what he has done to that family.”

“That’s right, we’ll call the police and tell them to check it out, okay?”

“What if they don’t do anything?”  Keith panicked.  “What if it gets worse?  They might not do anything about it!”

“It’ll be fine Keith don’t worry.”  Shiro said.  “Allura call them and tell them what’s going on.”

“Alright.”  She took her phone out and called the police.

* * *

“Nothing?”  Allura asks, Shiro nods.

“They said nothing was wrong, the only thing they found odd was his second eldest was covered in bruises, he dismissed it saying he got into a fight with a kid in town.”  Shiro said, Allura punched the wall, a small crack appeared.  Shiro held his crazy strong girlfriend back.

“Allura calm it, they’re investigating.  It’s not like he’s off the hook!”

“LANCE IS BEING ABUSED!  THAT WHOLE FAMILY IS!”

“Guys…”  They saw Keith walk out wearing his own clothes, he gave them a sad look.  “Did the police get him?”

“No Keith, that man told the police a lie to get himself out of trouble.”

“Isn’t that really bad though?”  Keith asks, Shiro nods.

“It’s almost like resisting arrest when you think about it.”  He said.  Keith noticed the crack in the wall, he pointed at it.

“The walls cracked.”

“I see that Keith.”

“Why won’t the policemen take him away?  He’s a bad man, bad men go to prison right?”  He asks, Shiro pats his brothers head.

“Keith he’s not off the hook.  They might catch him still, for now be patient.”

“But Lance was hurt, right?  His nose broke.”  Keith remembered it well.  He took a deep breath, trying to stay calm.  

“Keith?  Calm down now, this too shall pass.  You have to struggle with life in order to happiness.”  Shiro said.

“I don’t like that, I want things to be happy all the time.  No more hardships, no more pain.  Can’t I have one thing in my life go right?”  Keith glared at his brother.  Shiro didn’t know how to answer that, Keith was waiting for his wise words though.  Shiro gathered up courage and choose his words carefully.

“Keith I know you’ve been living a hard and unfair life, but trust me you’ll be happy in the end.  You’ve got to power through this and the hard times, okay?  Get over this small bump.”

“Small?  Small bump?  Is that what my life’s been full of?  Small bumps?”

“Keith.”

“No no this isn’t a small bump!  My entire life is full of unhappy moments, and just when I think something in my life is going right, BAM!  Something else comes in and reminds me that no matter what happens, I cannot be happy!”  He stopped and wiped tears from his eyes.  “It’s always my fault Shiro.”

“Keith that isn’t true.”

“Yes it is!  Look what happened to my family, what happened to yours!  Hell you lost an arm because of me!”

“It was my choice Keith.”  Shiro reminded his brother.  “None of that was your fault and this isn’t either.”

“Yes it is!”  Keith yells and runs to his room, he slams the door shut and whimpers on the floor.  Allura walks to Keith’s door, but Shiro stops her.

“Leave him alone.”

“But Shiro…”  He shook his head.  Allura looked at the door then back at Shiro.  She sighs and walks to her room, she faceplants on her pillow and groans in anger.  Shiro looks at his girlfriend waiting for her tantrum to end.

* * *

Keith walked into the school building late, it was gym when he came in but Shiro had a hard time convincing him to go.

He sneaked into the changing room and quickly got ready.  He came out when the teacher was going off on what they were doing.  Pidge and Hunk slowly look at him, not too happy with him.  When Coach left to grab equipment he asked Hunk to help, Pidge walked over to Keith.

“What the hell Keith!  You go missing for two days?!  Hunk and I were worried sick about you!”  She shouts.  He didn’t say anything.  “We don’t have Lance, we don’t want to lose you!”

“I’m sorry… are you mad at me?”

“Well kind of!”

“Do you hate me now?  Do you not want to be friends anymore?”  He asked.  That caught the small girl off guard.

“What?”  She asked.  “Are you seriously asking that?  Of course I’m still your friend, I love you Keith!  You’re my best friend!”  She admits.  “Never ask that again!”

“I-I am?”

“Duh!”  She smirks.  “You’re awesome!  My fellow conspiracy theorist, someone who believes in aliens and other creatures.  You like all the games I show you, we fan over them.  You have a great sense of style, though others say it’s awful, I think it’s so cool.  You like to read as much as I do!”  She gave him a dorky smile.  “I love you so much Keith.”

“Heh.”  Keith smiles.  “Y-You’re my best friend too Pidge.”

“Ooh~  Am I more important than Lance?”  She smirks.

“HUH?!”  Keith began to stutter.  “Um… well you’re my best friend so kind of… I mean I care about him… Hunk too.  Hunk too, I well… I care about him, but I um…”  Pidge laughed.

“Calm down Keith I know you two are close.”  Pidge pats his back.  “Makes sense, he did break you out of your shell.”  Keith nods and smiles, though that quickly faded.  Pidge noticed it.  “Something up?”

“Um… no… well I saw Lance.”

“Wait… you did?!”  Pidge grabs Keith’s arms.  “Is he okay?  What’s going on?”  She looked paranoid.  Keith shook his head slowly.  “Oh God, what’s wrong?”

“His dad beat him in front of me.”

“WHAT?!”  She screamed so loud that everyone heard her.  Keith covered her mouth and looked at everyone.

“Ha ha… I told her about … Mothman…”  Keith tried covering her scream up.  They ignored Keith dismissing that he was weird.  Nothing new, no one ever really paid attention to him.  Pidge pushed his hand away.

“What the hell?”  

“Please don’t scream like that!”

“Lance is getting beaten?  This is bad… I’ve got to tell someone!”

“I’ve told Shiro.  They called the police but they’re investigating him now.”

“Did you seriously see Lance get beaten?”  She asked.  Keith nods, he about cried again.  Remembering it was horrible.

“God Pidge… it was brutal… he broke Lance’s nose, he fell on the floor and he didn’t let up.”  He said quietly.  “He got mad at me cause I had to hide in Lance’s home.  He saw me and …”  Keith froze.  “Is him getting beat my fault?”

“What?”  Pidge asks.  “Hell no it isn’t!”

“But Lance didn’t get beat until I came down.”

“You’re not at fault.”  Pidge shook her head.  She saw volleyball nets spread out.  She grabs Keith’s arm.  “Come on bud, let’s play volleyball.”

“I don’t want to play volleyball.”

“Too bad, you’re playing volleyball.”  Pidge smiles at her friend.  “Hey… Lance will be okay, he’s pretty tough.  Hell he fought you and you’re a fighter.”

“I hope you’re right.”  Keith nods.  She leads him towards the nets and Hunk ran up with a volleyball.

“Let’s play… we’re uneven still.  So how do we do this?”

“Hunk you want to play on a team and Keith plays on his own?”

“I now realize you are a horrible best friend.”  Keith said.  Pidge stuck her tongue out and grabbed the ball.

“Get ready Kogane, you’d better be fast.”

“How about one on one matches?  I don’t want to play.”  Hunk said.

“God I hope Lance comes back soon.”  She said.  “Wonder how he’s doing…”

* * *

Lance sat there letting his father yell at him about the police and was pissed that they came over knowing Keith was behind it.  Lance glared at his father, waiting for him to get done.  He was the only one getting punished, and he was damn happy he was.  No one deserved getting yelled at like this.

“Are you done?”  He asks his father in a cold tone.

“I know for a FACT that that little faggot called the police on us!”

“And I’m damn happy he did, after how you yelled at him I’m glad he called!”  He growls.  He pushed Lance down again, Lance yelps in pain and gave his father a death glare.  “You should be glad I didn’t say anything to them.”

“Glad?”  His father gave his son the ugliest look.  “You think I’m glad?”

“No I’m sure you’re upset, and that pleases me.  The way you’ve been keeping us here?  Almost sounds like you’re trying to keep us quiet.”  Lance smirks, he’s anything if not observant.  He started to see what his father was doing, while he didn’t yet see the big picture, he was close.  That alone frightened his father.

“Get upstairs now.”

“Kay.”  Lance walked up knowing he scared his father.

* * *

Allura was sitting in the cafe quietly reading.  A few customers came in and went on their laptops, they were mainly business people and college kids who needed free wifi.  At least they bought stuff so she made profit.

The police came in and shocked the customers a bit, they walked up to Allura and asked to speak with her.  She nods and walked to the kitchen with them.

“Is there something I can help you with?”  She asks.

“Ma’am you were the one who called us about the family down north right?”

“Yes I am.”  She nods.  “Why, is something the matter?”  

“You called saying possible abuse, we checked it out but found that nothing seemed unusual.  We wanted to know why you called.”

“Oh right.”  Allura nods, she hated to do this to Keith but it was the only way.  “A young high schooler, my brother, Keith Kogane told me about it.  He knows more than me, he’s a witness.”

“That would have been useful info at first.”

“He was having a hard time with it.”  Allura said.  “He’s at the school right now, p-please go easy on him… he has a temper and hates bringing up bad memories.”  She told the cops.

“Yes Ma’am.”  They walked out of the cafe, one runs back and looks at the menu.

“Can I get a mocha?”

"Five eighty seven.”

* * *

Keith and Pidge were even in points, Hunk was keeping track of points and was quite happy with his spot.  The other two hated it cause he kept calling them out whenever they cheated… they cheated a lot.

Pidge about served when she noticed policemen walking in and talking to Coach.

“That’s weird.  What are they doing here?”

“Maybe they’re looking for someone.”  Hunk said.  The three watched the policemen and Coach talk, finally he looked at the class.

“Red get over here.”  He calls.  Keith felt his heart race, they wanted him?  He had a sick feeling he knew what this was about.  He walks over to the police holding his arm being his usual awkward self.  Finally Keith found enough courage to speak.

“Uh… c-can I help you officers?”

“You sure can, we’d like to talk in private.”  They said.  Keith follows the men out in a conference room in the office.

Hunk looks back at Pidge.

“What’s going on?”

“I didn’t want to say anything cause you and Lance have been getting close… also you’d be pissed to hear this… Lance was beaten by his father and Keith saw it all.”  Hunk’s eyes grew wide.

“You can’t be serious.”

Keith fiddled with his hands nervously, he was a little scared and uncomfortable.  He feared what he’d have to talk about.  Usually he’d act like he didn’t care and keep a straight face, but now he can’t.  He knows why he’s there, why they want to talk to him.

A cop places his hand on Keith’s head, causing him to jump and stare at the cop in horror.

“Calm down son, we’re here to ask you some things.  We want you to be honest with us, no bullshit, no lying, just the God honest truth.”  Keith nods at the cop willing to comply.  He started to speak.  “Your sister-”

“Sister-in-law.”  Keith quietly corrects.

“R-Right, well she said you were a witness about the accused abuser, is this true?”  The cop asks.  Keith nods quietly.  “Can you tell us what you saw?”

Keith remained quiet, he looked down at the table trying to gather his thoughts.  He couldn’t clear his head, everything came back at once… he didn’t want to do this, he didn’t want to remember.  But now he had to, he had to talk to them.

“What would you do if he was caught as an abuser?”

“Well it’s a year in jail.”  They said.  Keith’s eyes turn dark.

“Then what?  He’ll just come back and hurt them more so what’s the point?  Why should I talk and relive what I’ve seen just for him to come back and hurt those people more?”

“Sir we need you to tell us if this man is hurting his children.”

“Who cares, what are you going to do?  It’ll keep happening, shit like this never gets resolved!  And even if you get him away, they’ll be haunted by the memories!”

“Sir-”

“So what’s the point of you helping them?”  Keith asks.  “Yeah I saw his beat his kid, his kid is my friend, and it’s all my fault that he’s hurt.  His father didn’t want me there.”  Keith felt like crying, he kept his head low trying to avoid eye contact.

“You’re being honest?  Did it happen?”

“HIS NOSE BROKE!  THE MAN BEAT HIM AND BROKE HIS NOSE, IT’S ALL MY FAULT!”  Keith began to shout, he didn’t want to remember it.  He didn’t want to keep retelling it to people.  He just didn’t want to, he wanted everything to stop.  “Can I go now?”  He asks quietly.  The police were still a little startled by his outburst, they thought it was best to leave him alone.

* * *

Shiro gave Keith the most disappointed look ever.  He hated it, he wanted Shiro to stop with the stare.  He caved in and threw his head back.

“I’m sorry I yelled at the police now let me go!”  Keith shouts, though nothing was holding him down.  Shiro sat next to Keith and kept staring at him.  “Stoooooooooop.”

“I know you don’t want to remember it, but you can’t yell at the police like that.  They want to help.”

“Then they should arrest him and get some kind of restraining order.”  Keith said.

“That’s up to the family to get a restraining order.”  Shiro said.  “Back to the topic on hand, the next time police talk to you do not get mad and start yelling at them.”

“Yes Shiro.”  Keith nods.  Shiro could tell that Keith got the message and wasn’t real happy about life.  He decided to tell him something that’ll hopefully make everything better.

“Allura wants me to cook tonight.”

“What?”  Keith’s eyes grew in horror.

“Sound like a good idea?”

“You can’t cook for shit!  Remember that cookie you made?”

“That was suppose to be a muffin.”

“You can’t even make a fucking muffin!”  Keith shouts.  “I swear you burn water!”

“I do not!”

“Please let Allura cook!”  Keith begs.

“She got a lot of business today because of the police.  Apparently people went over to see what was up… and a few of the policemen came back for food.”

“For all that is holy please don’t cook!”  Keith kept begging.  Shiro pushes Keith’s head down.

“Fine you cook if you don’t want me to!”

“Sure, I can make instant ramen better than you!”

“Oh you-”  Shiro grabbed Keith and put him in a headlock.  “That was one time!”

“Yeah and it was horrible!”  Keith began to laugh.  The two fought each other for a minute.  Well it was Keith struggling to get out of Shiro’s grasp but for the sake of pride it was fighting.

“Shiro can we please order take out or something?”

“No I want to cook and watch you suffer.”

“I WANT TO LIVE!”

“Hey it will not kill you!”

“Bullshit!”  Keith managed to get out of his brother’s headlock.  The two took a minute to breath and calm down.  Shiro looked at Keith.

“So take out, what does the whiny little prince want?”  He teases Keith.  “Italian?  Chinese?  Anything like that?”

“No.”  Keith laid on his side.  “I want pizza.”

“I’m not getting you pizza.”

“But I want pizza.”  Keith pouts like a child.

“Then you’ll have to take your pill, don’t want you to get a stomach cramp.”  Shiro reminded Keith.  Keith hated taking the pill, but he wanted pizza.  He was torn.

“I don’t want to take the pill… but I want pizza.”  He whined.  

“What do you want more Keith?”

“Pizza.”

“Then you have to take the pill.”

“No.”  Keith pouts.  Black walked in while they talked.  He hopped up on the couch and sat on Keith’s face.  Keith panicked making a very “attractive” noise as the big cat sat on him.  Shiro began to laugh.  Keith lifts his hand to push the cat off but Black put his paw up and slowly pushed Keith’s hand down.  Keith gave up after one try, Shiro was laughing so hard that he fell off the couch.  Black adjusted himself so he was curled up on Keith’s face.

Allura came in to see the small scene going on.

“What did I miss?”  She asks.

“H-Hi Princess.”  Shiro couldn’t stop laughing.

“Uh… where’s Keith?”  She asked, Keith raised his hand.  She looked over and about laughed herself.  “Black get off of Keith.”  Black gave her a look that said ‘make me’.

“S-So Keith wants pizza, is that okay?”  Shiro asked trying to recover, he didn’t notice Black made himself more comfortable.  As soon as he saw his cat again he lost it, damn thing was not moving anytime soon.

“Sure, that sounds good to me.”  She looks at Keith.  “Keith… you holding up okay?”  Keith gave her a thumbs up.  “Okay then.  You calling the place?”  Shiro was still laughing.  “I guess I am then.”

* * *

The three ate in the living room while watching TV.  Keith was bored within a few seconds.  Black hopped up on the couch again and stared at Keith, he knew what that cat wanted.  He scooched away but the cat still stared him down.

“Back off you fat, hairy fuck.  I took a pill for this, no way am I sharing.”  Black didn’t leave.  “Go away!  Is my food.”  He used baby talk on a cat, like most normal people with pets.  Black didn’t leave still.  “Shiro, look at your cat!”

“He’s cute isn’t he?”  Shiro smirks.

“Tell him to get lost, no it’s mine!”  He held his slice up seeing Black had gotten close.  Black stood on his hind legs to try and reach Keith’s food.  “Stop it, you fucking cat!”

Allura got up and picked Black up.

“Come on now, into my room you go.”  She shut Black in his room and walked back into the living room.  After a few minutes of peace they heard the cat crying, wanting to come back out.  Keith and Allura look at Shiro, they knew he’d give in quickly.

“Come on you two he’s crying.”

“Don’t fall for it.”  Keith said.

“But he’s upset.”

“Don’t fall for it.”  Allura copied Keith.  “That cat is fine where he is.”

“Guys.”

“Don’t fall for it.”  Keith and Allura said in unison.  Shiro gave in after a few seconds at let Black out.  He rubbed against Shiro then went right back to Keith.

“Oh come on!  Shiro loves you more, bug hi-GET AWAY FROM MY PIZZA, I WILL FIGHT YOU FOR IT, CAT!”  Keith shouts.  The other two started to laugh.

* * *

Keith woke up screaming, he didn’t know what was going on, what was real and what was a dream.  He felt someone hold him down, he looked up through tears to see Shiro trying to calm him down.

“Shhh.  Keith it’s okay.  I’m here.”

“Takashi?”  Keith looked up, he stares at his right arm in horror.  “Oh God, what happened to your arm?”  Shiro gave Keith a sad look, he watched Keith feeling up his arm.  “Where is it?”

“Calm down Keith, it’s okay.”

“Did I do this?”  Keith cried.  “I’m so sorry.”  He whimpers.  “I’m so sorry.”  Shiro holds his brother close, waiting for him to come back to reality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have started something and I will not stop >:)


	16. Take Charge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before anyone reads this let me say they talk about a game called "Spoons", let me explain what it is. Basically to take a set of playing cards and place spoons in the middle. Each person gets four cards, the first person to get all four tens has to take a spoon from the middle. Then it's a race for the others to get the spoons, the one with no spoon is elimenated and the game keeps going till one is victorious. Okay... you may read now.

Lance sat in the living room trying to do something while he sat around the house bored.  Antonio was out with his father and his Mom was at work so he was in charge.  He noticed Rico sneak down and look around.  As soon as he saw Lance was the only one he ran up to him and hugged his big brother.

“Lances!”  He cuddled into him.  “S da bad man gone?”

“Not yet, he’s gone for now.”

“When he leave?”  Rico asks, Lance shrugs and held his brother close.  He hasn’t seen Rico in days so it was nice to finally see him again.  He could tell Sarah has been taking care of him well.  He was clean and didn’t look like he wasn’t eating.  He looked a hell of a lot better than Lance, who was covered in bruises.

“What happened?  Didu fall?”

“Oh… um… Rico?”

“Yeah?”

“The bad man did this to me.  He hurt me.”

“Why?”

“Cause he saw Keith and he didn’t like Keith here.”  Lance said.

“But you like Keith, we’s all like him.”

“I know, he doesn’t though.”  They saw a car pull up, Rico quickly crawled out of Lance’s lap and ran into the kitchen to hide from his father and brother.  Lance watched as his family came in.  Antonio waves at him.

“ _ Hola Lance, estamos de vuelta. _ ”

“ _ Ya veo. Si eres nuevo me voy arriba. _ ”  Lance said.  His father kept glaring at Lance, it hasn’t ended since the incident with Keith and the cops.  The two began to talk to each other.  Lance got up and noticed Rico looking through papers, Lance was confused that Rico was looking through, the boy can barely read.  He took everything and ran upstairs before his father caught him.

Lance looked at the other two, they didn’t notice Rico at all.  He slowly ran up after Rico, he saw Rico hide everything under his pillow and looked at Lance.  He knew Rico wasn’t going to give the papers up and was probably going to show Sarah first, and Sarah was dead asleep right next to him.  The two had to share a small bed.

Lance smiles at his brother to reassure Rico that he wasn’t mad at him.  He walks into his room and fell asleep on his bed.  Hopefully his father wouldn’t get pissed.

* * *

His father was mad that morning.  He was looking for all the papers Rico stole.  He yelled at all the kids that were there, the culprit was hiding in his room.  His father didn’t expect Rico to do it, he was young and had given up on trying to talk to him.

Lance smirked as his father yelled at them.  He got sick of Lance’s smirk so he got in his son’s face.

“You know don’t you!”

“Why would I take any of those papers on the table?  I had nothing to do with it.”  Lance said.  Sarah and Sam looked at Lance with fear, they did not want to lose another sibling.  He got slapped in the face, his glasses flew off his face, a new bruise formed on his cheek, but the sting only made Lance happier.  His father was pissed off because he doesn’t have his suspicious papers.  He was annoyed and oh… that made Lance happy.

His father left them.  Lance got up while Sarah hands him his glasses.

“Thanks sweetie.”  He smiles, Sarah nods and runs back upstairs.  Lance looks at Sam and smiles happily.

“Now what  _ mi hermano _ ?”  Sam asks.  Lance shrugs and walks upstairs, Sam follows him.  He wanted to do something while being imprisoned.

* * *

Pidge and Hunk sat at the park doing their homework.  Pidge was tired of making extra copies for Lance but she was a good friend who didn’t want him to be behind.  She’d deliver them if she knew where the fuck he lived.  Hunk got done and shoved his notebooks back in his bag.  Pidge did all she could do and put all her stuff away.

“So what now?”  She asks.  Hunk shrugs and kept swinging on the swings.  Pidge got up and sat next to him.  “You know?  This year is really weird.”

“What do you mean?”  Hunk asks.  Pidge shrugs.

“Think about it.  Last year it was just us, we were friends.  Sure we had others but we mainly hung out together every day.  We were called the “Nerd Squad”.  Two dorks hanging out.”  She said.

“Well yeah we’ve known eachother since you started high school.  I remember when they announced that a twelve year old was joining our class.”  He laughed.  “We thought it was a joke then you walked in.  Your long hair held back by a hair band, no glasses and a sun dress.  Everyone just stared at you like you didn’t belong.”

“Probably because I didn’t.”  She nods.  “I mean all the people my age are sophomores.  But back to what I was getting at… this year is weird.”

“How so?”

“Ever since we met Lance things have been weird.  We had another friend, so that’s one thing.  But he of all people could befriend the most hated kid in school… He broke down Keith’s wall and became his friend.  Then he convinced us to be his friend.”  She looked at Hunk.  “Lance is different isn’t he?”

“Well I noticed this after Keith joined us, Lance is the glue friend.”  Hunk said.

“Glue… friend?”  Pidge was concerned for her friend.

“Glue friend, someone in a group of friends who keeps everyone together.  Common in a small group of friends like ours.”  Hunk explained.  “Sure we have buddies here and there but you three are my closest friends, my circle.”

“Yeah I get what you’re saying… we seem so different though, like it’s weird that we’re a circle.  You like different things then I do, I know Keith and I have some things in common but not everything, and hell I don’t know much about Lance’s hobbies.”  Pidge thought about it.  Hunk nods.

“That’s where the glue friend comes in.  Someone who has this aura that keeps people together.  Lance is someone who is keeping us together.  He likes learning about new interests and respects others interests.  He likes people, a social butterfly.”

“Wish I was like that, I hate others.”  Pidge said.  “This is why I like technology.  It speaks to me in a way humans can’t.”

“And you don’t see any of your friends judging you for that.”  Hunk smiles brightly at her.  Pidge nods giving Hunk her normal dorky smile.

“Yeah, I’m grateful for my small circle of friends.”

“You like us more than your tech friends?”

“Hell yeah.”  She nods, her smile fades and she stops swinging.  She just stared at the ground, Hunk became worried.  Before he could ask she spoke up.  “Hopefully we can all hang out like you and I do.  I want Keith and Lance to join us like this.  Just hang out and have fun.  Wish all the bad things would end, ya know?”

“I’m surprised we got pulled into these kinds of things.  Thought my life was going to be normal and nothing odd happening then boom we became friends with those two who have surprisingly crazy lives and now we’re stuck with them.”

“Yeah.”  Pidge leans back and stares at the clouds.  “We should probably find somewhere to lay low, I think it’s going to rain.”

“Again?”

“It rains a lot here Hunk.”  She grabs her bag and walked off, Hunk quickly grabs his and catches up with his friend.

* * *

Keith stands in the kitchen of the apartment eating leftover pizza, watching the rain fall.  He liked that his apartment was up high, he could see the sky.  Keith wishes he could fly away, fly from the troubles of real life and pain.  But he was grounded, never going to free himself from all the troubles in his life.

He picked up his plate and bottle of cola and made his way into the living room.  As soon as he sat down Black had to come back.  He pets the stupid cat and ate in the silence, only the rain spoke to him.  Lately it’s been raining more than usual.  Like the sky was sad, he wondered if that made any sense to anyone other than him.  He knew that was a childish thought, he knew that rain was made when water vaporized in the air.  But still it was something to think about.

He finished quickly and took his plate back to the kitchen, washed it, and put it on a towel to dry.  He came back and sat with Black, just listening to the sky crying.

* * *

Lance stares at the rain falling on the street, it was more entertaining than inside the house.  He noticed Sam playing with the paddle ball again and getting real annoyed with it.  He threw it moments later.

“ _ ¡GAH! ¡ODIO ESA COSA ESTÚPIDA! _ ”  He shouts, Lance gave him the most bored look ever.

“ _ Entonces no jugar con genio. _ ”

“Shut up.”  Sam pouts.  Lance sat on the windowsill and watched the rain, suddenly lightning struck.  Lance looked at Sam with a big smile, Sam was giving him the same look.  Lance quickly turned the light off and they sat together.  They did this since they were little, they thought the way lightning lit up the room for a brief second was the coolest thing ever.  

Soon enough they fell asleep to the sound of thunder and rain.  Weirdest thing to fall asleep to, but since their father showed up that was probably the calmest thing they’ve heard in days.

* * *

Allura walks into the apartment, pissed off that she didn’t think to bring an umbrella so the walk home was very pleasant for her.  Shiro and Keith look at her and laugh a bit, her makeup was running, she looked possessed.

“You okay Princess?”

“Not in the mood.”  She hissed.

“But you look so jolly.”

“One more word and you’re sleeping on the couch.”  That shut Shiro up, but he was still laughing.  Keith put his book down and watched the storm, he looked at his brother then back outside.

“Why has it been raining so much.”

“Beats me, it can go away anytime now.”  Shiro said.  Keith nods and watches it again, then … Click.  Everything was dark. … … …

“Shiro, what happened?”  Allura called from the bathroom.

“I think the power went out.”

“Ya don’t say.”  Keith said in a gasp.

“Shut up.”  Shiro pokes him in the head, Keith started to laugh like a child.  “Let me find a candle or something.”  Shiro found a lighter and went around the apartment to find one candle.  He walked into the bathroom and found one.

Shiro comes back out with Allura in comfier clothes and sat on the floor with the two.  They lit the candle and sat around it, great, they’re in a scary dark apartment together.  They watched the little light flicker while they sat there doing nothing.

“Hopefully the landlady will fix the power soon.”  Shiro said.

“Until then we sit by this tiny ass flame?”  Allura asks.

“The best we got Princess.”

“I can’t read, not enough light.”  Keith complains.

“Then don’t read now.”  Shiro said.  Keith pouts and puts his book away.  The three stared at the flame, trying to amuse themselves with it.  “So what do you two want to do?  If you say read I will make you run outside.”  Shiro points at Keith before he could answer.

“Maybe play a board game?”  Allura suggests.

“What kind?”

“I want to play “Spoons”.”  Keith suggests.

“No.”  Shiro said.

“Why not?”

“Cause you and Allura are crazy competitive when it comes to Spoons.  I about lost my other arm playing with you two.”

“I play to win.”  Allura comments.

“I’m not playing Spoons.”  Shiro said.

“Then how about Apples to Apples.”  Allura said.

“I hate playing that with Shiro.”  Keith complains.

“Why?”  She asks.

“You know why!  He always picks the opposite!  One time I had friendly down and you know what he put?”  Shiro was giggling like a child remembering this moment.  “HE PUT DOWN ADOLF HITLER!”  Keith shouting made Shiro lose it.  He was laughing at the memory.  “It’s not funny!”

“It’s hilarious!”

“You’re awful.”  Allura said.  “I cannot think of what to do now.”

“I kind of like talking about this kind of thing.”  Shiro said with a smile.  “Though I wish we played more games in the house.”

“Someday we should own a game system.”  Allura comments.  “Or hell go to an arcade.”

“Are arcades fun Allura?”  Keith asks, she looks at Keith then slowly at Shiro.

“He’s never been to one.”  He said.

“What kind of child has never been to an arcade?”  She asks in an ‘are you serious?’ voice.  Keith raised his hand.  “Besides you.”  He put it down.

“I’ve been getting into video games lately.  Pidge has a lot and she let’s me play on her DS.  She has the one where it strains your eyes to give off the 3D illusion.  It’s awesome!”  Keith said happily.

“Wow, an eye strainer.  Sounds neat.”  Shiro said in a bored tone.

“Well… y-you can turn it off.”  Keith said.  “But it’s really cool.  She let me play Pokemon on it and I actually beat something!”

“You beat a coded program, I’m proud of you.”  Allura teased.  Keith pouts and stared back at the candle.

“Well that was the only time I got to play.  They keep telling me to get my own DS but it’s way too expensive.”  Keith complained.

“Do you really want something like that?”

“Maybe.”  Keith pouts.  “I’ve been trying to raise up money but the stupid thing is two hundred dollars.”

“Keep trying, you’ll get it.”

“Kay.”  Keith said.  “When’s the electricity coming back on?”

“I don’t know.”  Shiro said, he watched Allura swipe her hand across the little flame making it flicker.  “Don’t do that, you’ll burn yourself.”

“Will not.”  She said.  “Ow.”

“Told you.”

“Piss off.”  She held her hand away from the fire like it burning her was somehow not her fault.  

After an hour of talking about random stuff and watching the candle the lights came back on.  All three cheered then fell asleep on the floor.

* * *

The next morning Sarah came into her room with Rico’s breakfast.  She walked in carefully and closed the door behind her, signaling Rico that it was her.  He comes out of the closet where he’d been hiding and runs to her.

“Here you go Rico.”  She hands him the plate, he sat on the floor and picked at his food.  Sarah walks towards the bed and sat down on it, she reached under her pillow and got her drawing stuff out.  She drew a simple picture and was content till she saw something under Rico’s pillow, she wondered how she didn’t notice till now.

She doesn’t bother to take them out, she instead looked at her baby brother.

“What’s this?”  Sarah points at the pillow.  Rico knew what she meant and walked up to the bed.  He climbed on and took the papers out.

“Stole dis from bad man.”

“You stole this from Papa?”

“No bad man.”  He corrects her.  Sarah looked through and read the papers.  She didn’t understand what they meant.  She hid them under the pillow again.

“I’m getting Lance, stay here.”  She told Rico.  He didn’t need to be told that.  He sat on the bed and waits for his sister to come back.

Sarah peeks into the living room and sees Lance laying on the couch not doing anything.  She walks up and got his attention by hitting him with a pillow.  He grabs it and scowls at her.

“ _ ¿Qué diablos? Podrías haber dicho "hey Lance" y no me golpeaba con una almohada puta sabes! _ ”

“Couldn’t tell if you were daydreaming or not.”  She admits.  Lance huffs and fixes his glasses.

“What do you want Sarah?”

“Can you come upstairs and see something real quick?”  She asks.  Lance gave her a confused look, she seemed more timid than usual.

“Sure sweetie.”  He got up and followed her up the stairs into her and Rico’s room.  He was careful not to step in the food as he walked in.

He sat on the bed and saw Sarah crawl up and go under Rico’s pillow, she pulls the papers out and hands them to Lance.

“Oh I remember Rico taking these, this is what Papa was mad about.”

“Huh?”  Sarah was shocked.  “So Rico was the culprit?”

“Shh.”  Lance silences her in case someone overheard.

“Lance you got in trouble for that!”

“Sarah be quiet!”  He hissed.  She nods and points at the papers.

“What does this say?”

“Let me see.”  Lance read through it the best he could, he kept shuffling through the papers.  Sam walks in wondering why all the people he liked were in a room without him.

“Why was I not invited?”  He asks.  He slowly moved passed the food and moves towards his siblings.  He noticed the papers Lance was holding.  “Holy crow you did steal them…”

“No Rico did.”

“WHAT, WHY?!”  Sam asks his baby brother.  Rico shrugs, he knew they were important so he took them.  That was it.

Lance shushed his brother.  Sam was curious so he sat next to Lance while he read through.  His eyes grew wide as he kept on reading.

“What is it?”  Sarah asks.

“He’s trying to get Rebecca’s money…”

“Huh?”

“Are you serious?”  Sam asked.  Rico looked at his older siblings who were shocked.  Lance got up and began to rant, hissing out each word.

“That fucker, I knew he was up to something!  This is why he wanted Mamá’s signature!  I swear to God I will kill him for doing this to us!”

“Lance calm down.”  Sam grabs his brother’s shoulder, trying to calm him down.

“No, I’m confronting him right now!”  Lance brushed Sam’s hand away and stormed downstairs.  He knew his father wasn’t home, so he stood and waited, holding the papers.  He wanted his father to see them, wanted to see that Lance figured it out.

His father came in a few minutes later and was a little surprised to see Lance standing there with a scowl on his face.  He held up the papers, eyeing his father.

“What is this?”  He asked in a cold tone.  His father was pissed.  He tried taking them back but Lance pushed him away.  “You stay there and answer me.”

“Give them back.”  His father commands, Lance refused.  He was standing his ground this time.

“You’re disgusting, stealing your dead daughter’s money.”  He hissed.  “This is why you wanted Mamá’s signature.  She has the rights to the money.”

“Lance-”

“Don’t you “Lance” me.”  Lance points at his father.  “I know you aren’t allowed to be here, the divorce stated that you are not suppose to be near us at all!  That’s why we moved away from you!”  Lance hissed.  “YOU CAME HERE, BROKE THE CONTRACT YOU MADE, AND ARE TRYING TO STEAL MONEY FROM REBECCA!”  Lance yells.

His father walked up and tried taking the papers from Lance, he kicks his father away.  That made it worse.  Lance avoided his father, he dodged his every move as he kept trying to hit his son and take back the documents.

Antonio and his mom came up and saw what was going on.

“Jesús, what is going on?”  Isabella asks.  He glares at his ex, she quiets down and didn’t say a word.  Lance looks at his mom and held the papers up.

“Mamá!  He wants your signature!  He’s trying to steal Rebecca’s money!”

“What?”  She asked.  His father slapped Lance hard and took the papers back.  He walked right up to Isabella and points at it.

“Sign it.”

“Y-You’re trying to steal from you deceased child?  You cannot be that sick Jesús.”

“I said sign it!”

“No I will not!  This is a new low even for you!  I refuse to sign tha-”  He smacks Isabella across the face, the poor woman fell on the floor.  Lance’s eyes grew wide.

He felt enraged, nothing but pure anger rose in him.  That was the last straw.  You can beat him down, bruise him, and leave him broken.  But lay one hand on his Mamá, he would not have it.

Lance ran at his father and punched him dead in the face, his father was stunned that his son could punch that hard.

“I WANT YOU OUT OF MY HOUSE NOW!”  Lance shouts.  “YOU DISRESPECT MI MAMÁ!  HOW DARE YOU SLAP HER, TREAT HER LIKE THIS!  SHE USE TO BE YOUR WIFE GOD DAMMIT!”

His father was speechless, his spineless, weak, crybaby son just punched him.  Was this seriously the same kid?

Lance calmed down slightly.  He walked over and ripped the papers out of his father’s hands.  He got right in his father’s face.

“I give you till tonight to pack up and leave, if you are not out of my house by then I am calling the cops.  As soon as you’re gone I’m filing a restraining order on you and Antonio.  You are not a part of this family anymore, got it Jesús?”  Lance asked in a cold tone.  His father glares at him.

“Start packing.”  He took the papers with him and stormed off.  Lance stuffed them in Rico’s pillow case in case his father would pack up with them.  He told Sam to look around for their cellphones.  His brother nods and looks around.

Lance saw his mother was still on the ground shocked by what she just witnessed.  He gave her a sad look and helped her up.

“Mamá?”  He got her attention.  “Everything will be fine now, okay?”  She remained quiet, but she hugs her son.  She began to cry.  Isabella was happy, her son came to her rescue.  Lance smiles and rubs his mom’s back, letting her cry.

Sam came up holding all of their cell phones.  Lance rubs Sam’s head and hands his mother his cell phone.  She walked into her bedroom to charge it.  Sam took Lance’s and ran to their room.  Lance smiles and stayed downstairs hoping that his father and Antonio would leave soon.

They packed everything and walked to the door.  Lance held the home phone up with the police already dialed on, he would not hesitate.  His father clicks his tongue at his son and leaves.  The two didn’t exchange words, that was their goodbye and good riddance.

* * *

“I told my friends I’ll be at school tomorrow!”  Sam said.  “They’re all so excited!  Are you gonna tell your friends Lance?”

“Nah I wanna surprise them.”  Lance said with a smile.

“Wow how cheesy are you?”

“I love this kind of thing ya know, they probably miss me.”

“I’m sure they do.”  Sam rolls his eyes.  Lance chuckles, maybe his friends didn’t miss him that much, but he missed them.  He was excited to go back to his best friends and hang out with them again.

Sam fell asleep, Lance stayed quiet as he heard his brother and the sound of … nothing.  Lance was confused.  He walked over to the window and saw it stopped raining.  The stars shone bright in the sky.

Lance laughs, it was like the sky was crying for them.  For his family, it was upset that they were hurting.  He crawled on the roof and sat down, it was still wet but he didn’t care, he wanted to see the clear sky.  He wondered if the sky was crying for them.

He felt himself tear up as he chuckled, letting tears fall down as one thought ran through his head.

“Were you sad for us?  You didn’t like what that man was doing huh?”  He paused.  “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry… I know you don’t want me to blame myself but… it still feels like I’m at fault…”  He sighs.  “I promise to take care of them… okay?  Just stop being a big crybaby, I fixed it.  So please stop your tears.  Also I know you love me and you’ve told me a lot… I never really said it to you… but you always knew, you never needed me to say it.  I love you too Rebecca.”  


	17. The Squad is Back

Lance and Sam went to school happily the next day.  As soon as they got to school Sam runs to his group, they all cheered and hugged him.  Sam had a large and noisy group of friends.  Lance smiles and goes to his locker to start his routine.

He opens it and began to organize again, it feels like forever since he’s opened it and saw all of his textbooks and notebooks and oh God he was behind on so much.  At least he finished the book during his imprisonment.  

He heard someone crying and running at him, as he turned he was greeted by a big ball of joy crying, happy to see him back.

“LAAANCE!”

“Woah, hey Hunk!”  Lance pats his friends head.  “What’s wrong with you?”  Another hug.  “Aaaand hi Pidge.”

“YOU CAME BACK TO US!”  She cried.

“Yeah yeah I came back… jeez.”

“WE THOUGHT YOU’D NEVER COME BACK!”

“HUNK AND I WERE SO SAD, KEITH TOLD US ABOUT ALL THE BAD THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO YOU!”

“LOOK AT YOU!  YOU’RE STILL BRUISED!”

“WE MISSED YOU SO MUCH!  WE’RE SORRY WE DIDN’T HELP YOU!”  The scene was almost comical.  Lance getting hugged by two of his friends.  He gave them a smile though he was worried about their mental state.  He looked up and saw Keith staring at him with a pleasant smile.  However that didn’t last long cause Hunk pulled the teen into their hug.  Keith was now feeling awkward.

“Why?”  He asked as he was being crushed.

“COME ON MAN, GROUP HUG!  WE’RE TOGETHER AGAIN!”  Hunk cried.  Keith and Lance gave the same uncomfortable look at their friends who were still a crying mess.

* * *

“I’m sorry, it’s a lot of reading but I managed to get all your notes.”  Pidge said as she hands Lance her copy of notes.

“You are an angel!”

“Of course I am.”  She smirks.  “I’m happy you’re okay.”

“Aw you were worried?”  Lance teases, Pidge pokes his head.

“Course I was.  When Keith told Hunk and I you got beaten… we were scared.  Also I’ve heard about a girl named Rebecca McClain… was she related?”  Pidge asks.  Lance nods, his smile dropped.

“She was my sister.”

“Oh God.”  Pidge covered her mouth.  “Lance I am so sorry.”

“Thanks.  I just want her to be at peace, I hope she is.”

“She’s still watching over you.”  Pidge said.  “She’ll be at peace if you’re at peace.”

“Then she must be.”  Lance smiles.  Pidge rubs his head.

“We’re glad you’re back.”

“Glad to be back.”

* * *

Literacy wasn’t better, Keith was a little clingy.  The class was watching a movie for a book they had read while Lance was gone, so he was catching up on whatever Beowulf was.  Keith moved their desks close and leaned his head on Lance’s shoulder.  He didn’t mind, but it was strange nonetheless.  He decided to bring it up to him.

“Keith?”

“Hm?”  Keith looked at Lance like nothing was wrong.

“You okay?”

“Yeah.”  Keith went back to watching.  Lance sat still for a moment.

“Any reason you’re this close?”  He asked.  Keith shook his head.

“No, just happy you’re back.”

“Aw~”  Lance put his head on Keith’s.  “Did’ja miss me?”  Keith smirks, eyes not looking away from the projector.

“When you’re like this, no.”

“Ow.”  Lance chuckled a bit.  He pushed his head slightly and kept watching.  Keith kept his head on Lance’s shoulder through the whole class period.  After that he stayed close to Lance’s side as they walked to the cafeteria.  Lance walked to the table while Keith went through the line.  That was the first time they got seperated since literacy.

He sat with his other two friends and ate.  It was a little strange that he was back in school, also that it was a Friday so he was going to go back home as soon as the day was done.

Keith came in and sat right next to Lance.  He looked at Pidge like he wanted to ask her about something.

“Hey Pidge.”

“Yeah?”

“Do we have an arcade here?”

“Do you… want to go to an arcade?”  Pidge’s eyes were wide.  “Cause hell yeah we have an arcade!”

“I’ve never been to one.”  Keith admits.  Pidge was shocked.

“HUH?!”  She freaked.  “Boy, you need to go to an arcade.  Tonight we all go to the arcade.  Deal?”

“Um…”  Lance thought about it.  “I guess I can make it.”

“Good, all of you go to the arcade tonight!”  Pidge said.  “You all know where the mall is?”

“Yes.”  Hunk and Keith said.  Lance stayed quiet, he was a little embarrassed that he didn’t know where the mall was.  He only knows where his house is, where Pidge and Hunks homes are, and the cafe.  He doesn’t have a wide map.

* * *

“You don’t know where it is do you.”  Hunk comments while they changed for gym.

“Shut up, I thought it’d be embarrassing to say I didn’t know when you and Keith knew.”

“Yeah but there’s a difference.  You haven’t lived here all your life unlike me, and Keith’s been here for a few years now.  You just moved here.”

“Still…”  Lance didn’t want to admit how embarrassing it was.  “Also I have like no money.  I won’t be able to play anything.”

“Okay, Pidge is going to kill you for not speaking up.”  Hunk said.

“Then don’t say anything!”  He felt a cold hand hit his back.  “GAH HEY!”  He saw Keith giggle.

“Hurry up you two.  Or I’ll tell Pidge.”

“You wouldn’t!”

“Watch me.”  Keith walked out.  Lance quickly put on his clothes and chased Keith down, Hunk soon after.  Lance about tackled the boy down but Keith caught himself.

Pidge saw the two dorks and dismissed them as being just that, dorks.  Before the activity started Keith looked at Lance.

“You know I can take you to the mall.”  He said.  “I-If you don’t mind me driving you that is…”

“You’d take me?!”  Lance asks.

“Y-Yeah…”  Keith nods.  “Is it odd?”

“Not at all!”  Lance shook his head.  “You’ve got to stop thinking that everything you ask for is odd, no friend thinks driving another friend is odd.”

“It isn’t?”

“How anti social are you?”  Lance asks while lightly hitting Keith’s head with the back of his hand.  The Korean flinched a bit at the small slap.

“You guys are all my first friends, you literally are my first friend.  I … I don’t know what friends really do…”

“Well they don’t make things awkward around the other and another thing is that they don’t think every little thing is strange.”

“I’m new at this okay?”  Keith sounded annoyed.  Lance chuckled.

“I love how you’re starting to feel more comfortable with us.”

“You annoy me…”

“You love me~”

“Cornchip.”  Keith mutters.

“ _¡ME VALE DOS!_ ”  Lance whines.  Keith stared at him for a moment.

“I’m taking a wild guess on what you just said… you’re not worth two cornchips and never will be.”  Keith smirks.  Lance stood in silence.

“YOU GOT IT RIGHT!”  Lance hugs him, Keith panicked and flailed a bit.  “I’M SO PROUD OF YOU!”

“Help… one of you help.”  Keith made a pathetic attempt to reach of one of his other friends.  They stared at him, gave him a thumbs up and went back to talking.  “No, please help me!”

* * *

Lance texted Sam that he was going out and would not be on the bus that day.  He followed Keith out and got in his small old car.  Lance finally looked at everything and chuckles.

“Nice roll down windows Keith.”

“Shut up.”  Keith said.  “Manual windows still exist.”

“Yeah, in dinosaurs like this.”  Lance teased.  Keith flicks Lance’s forehead and started the car up.  Lance looked at his wallet and saw five bucks, great.

“Awesome, only like two rounds of fucking whack a mole for me.”  He sighs.  Keith looks at him then back out the window.

“I can give you some, Allura pays me to help out at the cafe so I have a few bucks to spare.”

“What did I do to deserve an angel like you?”  Lance said in an over dramatic tone.  Keith smiles.

“You made my life better.”

“Aw, did I?”

“Don’t let it get to your head.”  Keith drove down an area Lance has never been to before.  He noticed all the bigger buildings, he remembers seeing them in the distance when moving to the city.  Now he was up close.  His blue eyes grew as he saw how big and busy the city really was.  Keith pulled into a horrid parking lot and looked at where he parked.

“Well I’ll have fun trying to remember where I parked.”  Keith said.  “Let’s go.”  The two walked into the mall and Lance practically skipped around.  It was huge.  He saw all the restaurants and shops and holy hell an amusement park.  He points at everything to Keith who was just as surprised.

“This place has everything.”

“Yeah, I’ve never been here.”  Keith nods, Lance kept looking around happily.  

“I want to live here and never leave!”

“You already live here dum dum.”  Keith comments.

“Shut up and let me have my moment!”  Lance pouts.  Keith chuckles and walked ahead.  Lance quickly followed him and made their way to the arcade.  Pidge was already playing something while Hunk was looking at prizes.  Lance looked at Keith who was looking at everything in shock.

“You okay?”

“Is this an arcade?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s so cool!”  He ran in like an excited child.  “Lookie Lance!”  He points at a Pacman machine.  

“They still have Pacman?”

“I wanna play!”

“You need coins… also we’re here to hang out with our friends remember?”

“I wanna play Pacman!”  Keith said happily.  Lance took Keith’s arm and dragged him away from the machine.  He got Hunk’s attention.

“Oh there you guys are, Pidge they’re here!”

“Just a sec.”  She finished whatever she was doing and walked up to her group.  “So you two made it.  What do you think of the mall?”

“It’s awesome!”  They said in unison.  Pidge just stared at Keith.

“You have lived here for how long?”

“Um… since the Shirogane’s took me in?”

“You were eleven at the time.”  Pidge said.  “That was almost seven years ago.”  They stood in silence, then Keith remembered what he wanted to do.  He points at the machine and bounces.

“I wanna play Pacman!”

“Yeah he’s had his eye on that machine since he came in.”  Lance comments, Keith still pointing and bouncing.  Pidge points at the desk.

“Card.  You need to buy a card from the desk and keep it on you, these things never expire.”  Pidge said.  Lance looked at her.

“How much does a card cost?”

“About ten bucks.  Then costs money to buy credits then you rank up points to get prizes.”  Pidge explained.  Lance was living in another era, he thought they still used coins.  The two walk up and tried buying a card, but Keith was too shy to talk.

“Keith, do you want to play Pacman?”

“Yeah!”

“You need to talk to the man and get a card.”  Keith’s face dropped, last thing he wanted was to talk to a stranger.  Lance grips his shoulder.  “I’ll go first.”  He remembered how much money he had.  “I only have five bucks.”  He hands the man his money.  Keith puts his debit card down.

“T-Two cards?”

“How much on each?”

“Um… how much does one game cost?”  Keith asks meekly.  Pidge ran up and talked for her shy bestie.

“Alright… both cards have one hundred credits each.  And you’re buying two?”

“Yeah.”  Keith nods.

“So that comes down to… forty bucks.”

“One hundred credits is cheap.”  Lance said.  Pidge nods.

“Yeah, just be sure you’re good at reeling in points.”  She smirks.  The man asked for their names and wrote them on their cards.  Lance felt a tug on his sleeve, he noticed Keith tugging and giving him big eyes, almost like he was begging.

“Okay ya big baby, let’s go.”

“EEE!”  Keith ran to the machine like a child.  Lance ran after him.  Keith stared at the machine wondering how to start a game, Lance saw the card slot and points at it.  Keith puts it in, the screen said please remove card.

Keith slowly took it out.  The screen said press start.  Keith looked at the controls and pressed the red button, the music started up and Keith’s face lit up.  He began to play and like with the movie that one night he was very verbal with his reactions.

Lance went along with him, the two being the noisiest ones in the whole arcade, which was quite busy.  

“Oh God no one told me Pacman was this stressfu-FUCK YOU BLINKY!  NO!  NO, STOP IT!”  He shouts at the ghost that has a programed pattern.  Lance laughed and noticed the cherry bounce in.

“Get the cherry!”

“I can’t, Inky is over there.  NO NO NO CLYDE YOU REJECTED FUCK GO AWAY!”  Keith shouts, Lance broke out in laughter again.  “NO ONE LIKES YOU!  THAT’S WHY YOUR NAME DOESN’T RHYME LIKE THE OTHERS!”

“Keith c-calm down.”

“TELL THE GHOST TO GET OFF MY ASS!”  That was it, Lance was out.  He was crying from the pain in his gut.  He was laughing at Keith’s rage.  Pidge and Hunk walked up and watched Keith play.

“Cool dude, you haven’t lost any lives…”  Pidge announces.

“Yeah man I suck at Pacman.”

“These ghosts I swear…”  He got the power pellet.  “HA HA TAKE THAT YOU FUCKERS!  COME HERE!”  Lance fell on the floor, the way Keith said that was amazing.  He sounded way too pleased about getting back at the ghosts.

“K-Keith, buddy…”  Lance got up trying to recover.  “It’s a game.”

“I PLAY TO WIN!”

“Damn man, you need to calm down.”  Lance said finally regaining his breath, that didn’t last long due to Keith’s next reaction.  He lost a life and…

“FUCK YOU YOU PIECE OF PIXELATED SHIT!”  Keith shouts.  Lance about fell over again, that was priceless.  After a whole game, Lance saw Keith go to about level twenty six before losing all his lives.

“You know… for your first time that wasn’t bad.”

“Really?”  Keith asked.

“Yeah and you’re funny when you rage.”

“S-Shut up.”  He pouts.  Lance looks around and noticed Keith wander off.

“Where are you going?”

“What’s this?”  Keith saw a racing game.  “I wanna play this!”

“Okay.”  Lance sat in the unoccupied seat next to Keith and watched him start the game.  Keith was surprisingly good at racing games.  He won each race he played, Lance cheered him on in the other seat which made Keith feel better.  The two got out and noticed Pidge and Hunk were watching.

“How are you good at all these games?”  Hunk asks.  Keith only shrugs.

“Okay now let me pick a game.”  Lance looked around.  Pidge sighs.

“You two don’t have to follow each other ya know.”  She said in a sassy tone.  Keith looked at her then walked towards Lance saying ‘I want to follow.’.  She rolls her eyes and walked to another game.  Hunk played a luck game to get one of the prizes.

“Oh I am so playing this!”  Lance said.  Keith noticed the game, an “Alien” shooter game.  Lance starts it up and picked up the plastic gun controller.  Keith was immediately impressed by how good his aim was.  He lasted a few rounds before a Xenomorph got to him and killed him.  Lance reaction to it was priceless.

He screamed and wasted all his ammo trying to get it off but it didn’t work.  Lance just stood there.

“Well that wasn’t fair.”

“Aren’t you mad?”  Keith asks.

“A little, but I’m not going to get bent out of shape about it.”  Lance said.  “And hey I did real good right?”  He winks at Keith.

“Yeah you did amazing.”  Keith rolled his eyes.  “I wanna look at the prizes.”  He walked towards the prizes, Lance followed and stared at all of them.

“See something you want?”  He asks.  He noticed Keith staring at some large stuffed animals.  “You want a stuffed animal?”  Lance was honestly confused.

“I want it.”  He points at a giant blue lion plushie.  Lance looked at it and his eyes grew.  It was adorable and big and he wanted it.

“I’ll beat you to it!”  Lance shouts and ran off.  Keith looked over in shock.

“Wait you want it?”

“And I’m gonna get it!”

“NO FAIR!”  Keith ran to another game.  Pidge and Hunk noticed the two competing.  Hunk immediately got his phone out and was ready to record the whole thing.

“Do you have to tape this?”

“Yes, it’s for my blog…”  Hunk said.

“You and your tumblr blog I swear.”  She watched the two idiots compete for the plush toy.  Keith went to a jump rope game and wasn’t to good at it.  Lance laughed at him while playing a luck based timer game, which he wasn’t good at himself.

“You suck at that Kogane!”

“Shut up… I can... do this... just fine!”  He kept jumping, Lance laughed cause Keith kept fucking up.

“What’s this, gay guys can’t jump?”

“I’ll fucking stab you if you don’t shut up!”

“Make me!”  Lance shouts.  Pidge was hyperventilating.  Hunk was surprised she gave out that quickly.

Lance and Keith got only a few points from those games so they moved on.  They kept trying different games trying to see who would win a fucking stuffed animal.  Hunk taped the whole thing and was happy that he was getting something good for his blog.

Lance tried the jumping game and mocked Keith cause he was better at it.

“Keith… Lookie… at what… I can… do!”  He jumps in rhythm to the electronic jump-rope.  Keith was pissed off.

“Oh gay guys can’t jump huh?”

“I’m bi, doesn’t count!”  Lance stuck his tongue out and continued to jump.  Keith played multiple games and came back to see Lance still jumping.  Finally he gave out and stopped.

Both of them didn’t have enough to get the lion and were out of credits.  Keith took Lance’s card and ran up to the prize counter.

“H-HEY YOU LITTLE SHIT!”  Keith came back with the giant lion and Lance’s card.  He hands it back with a big smile.  “I cannot believe you did that!  You took all the points I collected just to get the stupid lio-”  Keith hands the stuffed lion to Lance.  He gave Keith a look of surprise.  “You’re giving it to me?”

Keith nods with a small smile, his face was turning a different shade but Lance didn’t seem to notice.  Lance took the plushie and smiles.  

“Thanks.”  He said.  Keith’s smile grew and nods.  Pidge and Hunk witnessed the entire thing.  The small girl began to smack Hunk’s arm as he hit the end of his video.  

“GAH!”  He freaked out.  “What the heck is wrong with you?  What did I do?!”

“NRRRR SO CUTE!  I SHIP IT!”

“Wha-?”

“RLOTP!”  She kept slapping her friends arm.

“Rlotp?”  Hunk asks.  Pidge didn’t answer, she kept slapping her friends arm.  “Do I want to know?”  No answer.

The group walked out and looked around.

“So now what?”  Lance asks.

“My parents told me to be home before midnight.”  Hunk said.  “I’m going to catch a taxi and head home.”  He began to walk out.

“I’ll go with you.”  Pidge said.  “Bye you two.”  She waves to Keith and Lance.  The two boys stare at each other.

“So are we going?”

“I guess.”  Keith said.  The two walk out to the parking garage and tried finding Keith’s car.  

“God finding a red car in a parking lot is like finding a needle in a haystack!”  Lance comments.  Keith kept looking, finally he found it and ran to the car.  Lance noticed him running and went after him.  He tossed the plush lion in the back and buckled himself in.  “That was fun.”

“Y-Yeah that was.”  They pulled out and went out into the busy city.  The night time made the city seem more lively.  Lance loved the lights everywhere.  It was incredible.

They went a different route and pulled up to the cafe.

“What are we doing here?”

“Go in.”  Keith said.  Lance got out of the car.  Keith smiles.  “I’ll wait.”  Lance nods and walked in.

He shyly looks around, no one was in there except Allura.  She looks up and her eyes grew wide.  She didn’t say anything, she got up and ran at Lance, practically tackling him down.

“GAH A-ALLURA WHAT THE HECK?!”  Lance yells.  She kept Lance in a bear hug, he was surprised how strong she was.  She hugged him tighter, bad idea.  “Ow ow ow, bruises, bruises!”

“Oh sorry!”  She put him down.  “I’m so happy.”  He noticed tears roll down her face.  “I’m so happy you’re okay!”

“Yeah… I’m fine.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes I’m fine.”

“You sure?”  She was persistent.  Lance chuckled.

“Yes Allura I’m fine.”  He said.  She sat with him on the floor, she grabs his arms and held him tight.

“Lance, I’m so sorry about what happened.  I really am.”

“It’s okay.  You don’t have to apologize.”  Lance said.  Allura sighs and gave Lance a small smile.

“Lance, if you ever need anyone to talk to, anyone to hear you out… I’ll be there, okay?”

“Heh.”  Lance chuckles.  “What if that’s a lie.”

“No, I mean it.  Allura never lies.”  She shook her head, Lance gave her a wide eyed look.  “So if you ever feel unwelcomed.  You’re always welcomed in these arms.”  She held her arms out for a hug.

He just stared at her, she reminded him of someone.  Lance clung to Allura and broke out crying.  He held back all his tears for the past few days, held back every emotion.  Because he didn’t have his rock, his support, his sister.  

Allura smiles and closes her eyes, she rubs Lance’s back and let him cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this update! Also clingy Keith is cannon Keith :)


	18. What is This?

Lance got out of the car, Keith followed out and walked around.

“Is this something normal friends do?”

“Yeah… a lot of friend groups do this kind of thing.”  He said.  Keith’s face lit up, he did something a normal teen would do.  He felt proud of himself.

Lance chuckles at Keith’s adorable face and hugged him.

“We’ll do this again no doubt.”

“Ah…”  Keith stiffened up.  “Ah y-yeah.  Yeah we will.”  Keith quickly hugged Lance back, practically clinging to him.

“ _Ooh ¿qué es esto?_ ”  The two looked up to see Isabella staring at her son with a smug smirk, Lance was definitely her kid.  “ _¿Es mi hijo amar a algún niño por ahí? ¿Quieres privacidad?_ ”  Lance’s face turned red.

“ _¡M-Mamá! No es asi!_ ”  He shouts.  She gave him a look.

“Sure son.”  She walked to her rented car.  “I know a boyfriend when I see one.”  That caused Keith to turn many shades darker than Lance.  He quickly let go and almost fell over.  Lance grabbed his arm and pulled him back.  Isabella laughs.  “ _Yo sólo estoy bromeando a Keith._ ”

“You’d better be!”  Lance shouts.  “ _Somos solamente amigos._ ”

“ _¡Oh sí cómo no!_ ”  She points at her son.  “ _Puedo ver que está machacando en ese chico duro._ ”

“ _¡Mamá!_ ”  Lance whines.  She laughs.  Keith groans and went back in the car.

“See you Monday.”

“Yeah.”  Lance opens the back and pulls out the giant plushie.  “See you Monday.”  He waves Keith off.  Isabella gave her son the strangest look and points at the plushie.

“ _¿Qué demonios es eso?_ ”

“It’s a stuffed lion and I love it.”  Lance said.  His mom smiles.  “I will not tell you how I got it.”  He announced.

“Oh that gave it away.”  She teases.

“Stop Mamá!”  He walked in the house and took the giant stuffed cat to his room.  Sam saw it and gave his brother a look.

“What the fuck?”

“It’s my giant stuffed lion and I love it!”  Lance said.  Sam shook his head.

“The fuck man…”

“It’s going on my bed.”  Lance wraps his arms and legs around the lion and smiled happily.  Sam went back on his bunk and texted his friends telling them his brother is weird.

* * *

Lance woke up to hear his mom sigh and looking through her bills.

“Morning Mamá.”  Lance said as he went into the kitchen and pulls out his medication.  She looked at her son.

“Morning.”  She said.  Lance came in and popped it in his mouth.

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing… well bills.”  She said.

“Mamá?  You okay?”

“No, I won’t be able to pay this off.  I do not want to resort to Rebecca’s money now.  I’d feel dirty if I tried.”  She said.  Lance stared at the amount and gave his mom a sad look.  He hated seeing his mom suffer like this.  She was practically everything to him now, she was the reason they were all alive in the first place.  Lance didn't want her to carry that burden of caring for four kids on her own.

“Should I help?”

“No, you’re staying in school.”

“I know.  But I don’t want you to go into debt.”  He said.  She hugs her son.

“It’s okay, I’ll fix it Lance.  Don’t worry about it.”

“But Mamá.”

“No buts.  Trust me, okay?”

“Kay.”  Lance looked down.  

“How about you go out and do something today.”  She said.  Lance gave his mother a look like she was dumb.

“I went out last night.”

“You’re a teenager, go out more and do something.”  She commands.  Lance sighs, his mom was demanding he go out and do something.  He got dressed and went out.

He walked into the cafe when it was quite busy.  Allura was in the kitchen trying to make everyone’s order.  Lance saw Allura trying to make a few drinks at a time.  She noticed Lance and waves.

“H-Hi Lance, you need something?”

“No I just came by to say hi.”  He noticed a line was forming.  “You want me to help?”

“Huh?”

“Some of these people want to order.”

“Uh… sure sure.”  Allura said.  “Please help me.”

“Kay.”  Lance went to the register.  “What can I get you?”  He took everyone’s orders, every time someone was done ordering Allura would call the price.  Lance went back when the line was done and helped her with the food while she made drinks.

Allura looks at Lance and smiles.

“Thank you so much.”

“Yeah.”  The two sat down at the register and relaxed.

“Hey Lance, as thanks how about I show you how to make some of the drinks.”

“Really?”

“Mm-hm.”  She nods.  Lance smiles.

“Cool, I kind of wondered how you made your stuff from scratch.”

* * *

“And lift it slowly.”  She said.  Lance poured the milk into the beverage.  It was way past closing time but Allura wanted to show Lance how to make every drink possible.  That was a lot of drinks though, Allura had over twenty drinks in her cafe.  So a lot of wasted products and a lot of dirty dishes.

“There.”  Lance stopped it.  “Like that?”

“Yeah, that’s a perfect mocha.”  Allura nods happily.

“So I’ve mastered every common drink on the menu.”  Lance said.  She smiles at her friend and looked at the lobby.

“Well I’ve got to clean the place up.  You can leave.”

“Are you sure you don’t want my help?”  Lance asked.  Allura looks back at Lance in shock.

“You want to help me clean up?”

“Well I noticed it’s only you so…”

“That’d be wonderful.”  She said.  Lance took a rag and cleaned all the tables while Allura mops.  It was done in a matter of minutes.  She looks at Lance and pats his back.  “Thank you.”

“Yeah.”

“Here.”  Allura pulls out fifty bucks.  “Take it for your troubles.”

“Are you serious?”  Lance asked happily.

“Yes I’m serious.”  She nods.  Lance smiles.

“Thanks so much.”  He ran out happily, almost running into Shiro.  “Woah, sorry Shiro!”  He kept running.  Shiro watched Lance leave and looked at Allura.

“What was that?”

“Oh he helped all day cause a certain someone wouldn’t come in and help.”

“He’s still in his room.”  Shiro said.

“What, why?”

“Uh… I don’t know.”

* * *

Keith sat on his bed and was questioning himself.  He felt weird, uncomfortable, and confused.  He didn’t know what to do about it but sit in his room and wait for whatever it was to go away.

It didn’t go away.

“GAH WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME?!”  Keith shouts.  Allura and Shiro look at the crazy teen.  He’s been in his room for two days and has been freaking out like he’s seen aliens or something.  Knowing Keith he’d be running around in joy knowing aliens exist but that’s besides the point.

“Keith?”  Shiro came in, Allura right after.  “You alright?”

“I’m not well…”  Keith said in a monotone voice.

“Not well?”  He asked.  “What do you mean by “not well”?”  Shiro sat next to his brother.

“I feel warm and my stomach feels queasy.”  Keith held his stomach and looked at the floor.  “I feel like I’m dying.”

“Okay you’re being dramatic.”  Shiro said.  Allura walked over and felt his head.

“Oh you are a bit warm…”  She said.  Keith looked up at her confused.  “I think you’ll be fine though.  If it continues then you can stay home from school.”  

“What do you think it is?”

“Probably a virus of some sort.”  She walked out.  “By the way, thanks for all your help.”

“Sorry.”

“Eh, it’s okay.  Lance came in and helped out.  He came in at random and helped all day.  What a nice boy.  Heh, he’s like another brother to me.”  She smiles and went into the living room.  Shiro looks back at his brother who curled up on the bed.  

“You’ll feel better.”  He rubs his Keith’s leg then walks out.  Keith sat in his room alone, later Black hopped in and sat on his side.  Keith groans in discomfort, he wanted to roll over but the laws of the subconscious say animals comfort above all else.

* * *

Lance walked into his home and left the money on his mom’s desk in her room.  He walked into his room and saw Sam texting.  Lance peaks up and tried to read what his brother was texting.  Sam didn’t notice him till.

“Who you texting?”  He asks.  Sam freaks out and gave his brother a look.

“ _¡AH! ¿CUÁL ES INCORRECTO CON USTED?_ ”  

“Hi Sam, how are you?”  Lance smiles.

“God, fuck off.”  Sam groans.

“Make me.”  Lance smirks.  “Who you texting?”

“None of your business.”

“Ooooh~”  Lance teases.  “Is it a girlfriend?”

“No!  Now piss off!”  Sam got defensive.

“It is isn’t it?”  Lance smiles.  “How cute~”  Sam growls and pushes Lance’s face away.

“Go away, go cuddle to your stupid plush lion thing.”

“Hey don’t call my lion that!”  Lance held up his lion covering it’s ears.  “She has feelings ya know!”

“Oh for the love of- IT’S A PLUSH TOY!”

“A PLUSH TOY WITH FEELINGS!”

“PLUSH TOYS DON’T HAVE FEELINGS!”

“THEY DO TO!”

“NO THEY DON’T!”

“WELL THEN UP YOURS SAM!”  Lance went on his bunk and pouts, he held Blue, what he named his lion, close and fell asleep with it.

* * *

Lance walked up to his locker that Monday and felt something climb his back, he panicked a bit then realized it was only Pidge.  He was going to have to get use to her again.

“Hey Pidge.”

“Mm.”  She mumbles and fell asleep on his shoulder.  Lance went back to organizing everything and shuts his locker.  Hunk walks up talking with Keith.  Lance waves at the two, Hunk waved back.  Keith stared for a moment then looked down, well that was odd.  Usually Keith was happy to see him, he'd have a cute smile on his face and sheepishly wave.  He was acting like the time he pushed Lance away again.  Lance became worried, hoping to God that wasn't the case.

“How goes it?”  Lance asks.

“It’s great.”  Hunk looked at Keith.  “Yo bro… you okay?”

“I’m not feeling well…”

“Well if you’re sick then why did you come to school?”  Lance asks.

“Cause Allura said I wasn’t sick.”  Keith said in a sour tone.  Hunk looks at Keith for a moment.  He could tell something was not right, but Keith was definitely not sick that’s for sure.

“You were fine a second ago.  You talked to me and you laughed a bit… I know you’re well.”

“God you sound like Allura!”  Keith groans.  Lance and Hunk just stare at him, Pidge was dead asleep on Lance’s back.  Lance wondered if he needed help.

“Dude… do you need to see the nurse?  Maybe talk to a counselor?”

“No I don’t.”  Keith sighs.  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound pissy.  I’m not mad I swear… I’m just… not feeling it today, ya know?”  He asks.

“I feel ya.”  Lance nods.

“Yeah I get it too.”  Hunk nods.  “Hey, maybe hanging out with us will make it better.”  The big ray of sunshine said with a smile.  Keith looks at Hunk and nods happily.

“Hey, maybe you’re right.”

“Yeah, hang out with us buddy.  I’m sure you’ll get out of this melancholy state.”  Lance said.

“Wow.”  Keith gave him a smirk.  “You used a big word, I’m impressed.”

“FIGHT ME MULLET!”

“GLADLY!”

“This isn’t what I meant by making you feel better.”

* * *

Hanging out didn’t make Keith feel better.  All throughout literacy he was sick.  He sat next to Lance and watched some of Beowulf again but he couldn’t focus on the movie.  Which was okay, he read the book twice.  Instead he looked at Lance.  The more he stared at Lance the worse that feeling became.  It wouldn’t stop, he wanted to hang out with Lance but he felt sick around him.

Lunch was worse since the two now sat together.  Keith about lost it when Lance wraps an arm around his shoulders.  Pidge noticed it, instead of saying anything she just watched.

Keith pushed Lance off and tried to ignore the strange sickness in him.  Lance gave him a confused look.

“You okay buddy?”  Lance asks in a quiet tone.  Keith nearly jumped out of his seat.

“YEAH YEAH FINE… I’M FINE!”  Keith shouts.  That was totally convincing.

“You want me to call Shiro?  Maybe Allura?  I have Allura’s number.”  Lance held up his phone.  Keith shook his head violently.

“No no no no I’m fine, yeah totally fine.  One hundred percent peachy, yep, yes sir-y, never better!”  A long silence.  Lance tapped something on his phone, they all heard a click.

“Allura?”

“NO!”

“Keith’s acting strange today… ignore it?  Why?  He’s been-BACK!  STAY BACK!”  Lance swats at Keith who was reaching for his phone.  “I WILL FIGHT YOU KEITH, YOU STAY BACK AND LET ME TALK TO ALLURA!”

The other two watched in amazement how some of their simple conversations turn into a freak show.  It was spectacular.

“I call you back in a sec.”  Lance said to Allura and hung up, Keith was still reaching for Lance’s phone.  “I HUNG UP!”

“Gimmie!”

“No it’s mine.”  Lance pushed Keith back, that didn’t stop him.  “DAMMIT KOGANE!”

“Give me the phone!”

“NO!”  Lance put his phone down and grabbed both of Keith’s wrists.  “Calm down.”

Time froze.  Keith was staring at Lance with a wide eyed look, like everything was being answered at once.  He quickly pulled away and looked down, his face flushed almost pure red.  He felt himself heat up again.  Now he knew.

* * *

“Lance is making me sick!”  Keith said to Pidge when getting a volleyball.

“What?”

“Lance is making me sick!”  Keith said.  “Think about it, every time I’m near him I heat up.  I feel nauseous, I can’t think straight.  I feel uneasy, hell I think I’m going to die it’s so bad!”  Pidge gave her friend a look.

“You cannot be this stupid Keith.”

“Okay, that is rude!”  Keith points at his so called best friend.  “I so have this thing figured out.  Lance has something and I caught it and it’s making me sick.”

“Lance isn’t sick… and neither are you.”  Pidge walked back to the group.

“Then what do you call it?”

“I’m not telling you, you figure this shit out on your own.”

“Wha-HELPFUL MUCH!”

“Oh trust me, it’s killing me more than it’s killing you.”  She said.  “Can’t believe my rlotp is this complicated.”  She grumbles and goes to Lance.  “Okay Lance and I are a team cause Keith can’t be near Lance and I’m not dealing with his bullshit.”

“Hey!”  Keith snaps, he looked at Lance who seemed confused.

“Did I do something wrong?”  He asks.  Keith felt ill again.

“No no well you called Allura, but I’m not mad at tha-”  The ball went by him.  “PIDGE!”

“Whoops~”

“That’s it.”  Keith threw it somewhere.  “GO GET IT HOLT!”

“Quit being salty, I’m not the idiot now!”  She snaps and ran after the ball.  Keith watched her run after it, okay he knew that was uncalled for, but he was trying to talk and she took advantage of his lack of communication.

“Idiot?”  Lance asks.  “Are you struggling with math again?”

“NO! … …  Well yes, always, but that’s not why she’s calling me an idiot!”

“Okay…”  Lance was concerned.  “You know if you need something you can talk to me about it, hell Hunk will listen too.  If you’re unsure about anything at all.”  Lance said, Keith couldn’t stand looking at him anymore.  He looked down.

“I’m fine.”  Keith said quietly.  “Can you stop staring at me?”

“WHAT DID I DO?!”

“NOTHING!”

“I DID SOMETHING!”  The two shout.  Poor Hunk was in the middle of his friends drama.  He wishes he were somewhere else at that moment.

* * *

Lance came home with Sam and saw Sarah and Rico playing video games.  Rico had no idea what he was doing.

Sam sat next to them and picked up a controller.  Lance put his stuff down and stares at the clock.  His mom would be home for another two hours so he could go to the cafe again.  He told Sam he’d be back before their mom left and walked out the door.

* * *

"Keith!  Red Lion: small mocha latte!”  Allura shouts in the kitchen from behind the counter.  Keith was in the kitchen helping Allura make drinks and also cleaning it.  He had to make up for not helping at all that weekend.

“On it!”  Keith shouts and makes a small latte.  He was quite good at making all the drinks, he sucked at baking though.  Allura prohibits both Shiro and Keith from ever baking anything ever.  Hell Shiro can’t even make muffins with instant muffin mix, that man was hopeless.

Keith hands it to Allura and went back to cleaning the kitchen.  He heard Allura give a warm greeting.

“Lance, nice to see you.”  Pause.  Who’s here?

“Hey Allura.”

“I wanted to thank you for the other day, you really helped me.”

“It was nothing, but if you ever need help I can be of service.  I got two hours to kill.”

“Well you can help Keith, he’s cleaning the kitchen and making drinks.  So you can help with whatever.”

“Keith’s here?”  Keith heard the kitchen door open.  Lance was staring at him confused.  “Hey bud… you still upset with me?”  Lance’s face was just precious, he gave Keith a sad look.

‘How?  How can he be so fucking hot one second and the next like he’s a child?  I DID NOT JUST THINK LANCE WAS HOT!’  Keith shouts in his head, he began to shake his head violently.  “NO NO NO BAD YOU CANNOT DO THIS!  YOU CANNOT THINK THIS WAY!”

“Allura I think Keith is unwell again.”

“He’s fine.”  Allura called back, she didn’t even look at him.

“Keith, you okay?”

“FINE!”

“Woah!”  Lance’s eyes went wide.  “I do think you have something.  Maybe you should sit down.”  Lance gestures to the… well ground.  Keith sighs again.

“Y-Yeah I should.”  Keith sat down and stared at Lance.  “Can you make drinks and stuff?”  He asks with worry in his voice, Lance chuckles.

“Allura taught me, it’s fine.”  Lance said.  The two heard girls about their age walk in and order something.  Allura calls back.

“Black Lion:  Two chocolate swirls.”  Allura calls.  Lance nods and made the two drinks the best he could.  He walked out and hands them to the girls.

“Two drinks for two fine ladies~”  He winks at them, the two girls giggle at the compliment and walk away.  Allura smacks his hip as he walked back, a smirk on her face.

“You’re disgusting.”

“What?  They were cute.”

“Do not flirt with the customer.”

“That’s kind of how you met Shiro.”  Keith calls from the kitchen.

“Not helping Keith.”  Allura calls back.

“You said you didn’t meet him here.”  Lance pouts.

“I said I met him in strange circumstances, he came here after we met.”

“And you fell in love an-”

“KEITH!”  She shouts in embarrassment.  The two heard a little giggle escape him.  Lance smirks, he noticed the girls still staring at him.  He gave them a wink, they blushed and looked away.

“Alright casa-nova, get back to work.”

“Okay okay.”  Lance walked in.  He noticed Keith giving him a look, one eyebrow raised, clearly judging him.  “What’s that look for?”

“You seriously have to do that?”

“What?”

“Obviously flirt with them?”

“Hey they were cute~”  Lance said.  “Though I suppose you don’t see them as cute.”

“Bingo.”

“But still, for a guy who likes girls I admit they’re total babes.”  That alone made Keith feel uneasy.  It wasn’t that same sickness but it felt similar.  It was caused by Lance again, but it felt more like anger.  Keith felt moody, felt pissy, felt almost betrayed.  He couldn’t describe it.  It was new to him.

“Hey Lance.”  Allura calls.  “This girl wants me to give you her number, she says you’re quite cute.”

“I think I’m more than that sweet thing~”  Lance winks at the girl, she hid her face and ran out with her friend.  Lance took the number and stares at it.

“So what?  You gonna call?”

“I don’t know, I’ll keep it in mind.”  Lance smirks.  “But she thought I was attractive.”

“You let every little compliment go to your head.”  Keith sourly comments, Lance gave him an almost pissed off look.

“So what if I do?  I still have that note someone gave me after Halloween.  At least someone thinks I’m sexy.”  Lance folds his arms across his chest and pouts.  Keith’s eyes went wide.

“You have a what now?”

“A note.”  Lance remembers.  “Oh right.  I tried telling you about it but you still kept me away because you were afraid of me getting hurt… still weird by the way.”  Lance said.  “Anyways I opened my locker and a note came out, it said I was a sexy prince.  I was embarrassed but I use that note as a bookmark… I look at it and feel a little better about myself.”  Lance smiles thinking about it.  “Someone at our school thinks I’m… attractive.”

Keith felt real sick now, he can’t believe Lance read that AND kept it.  Keith was screwed, his face was boiling.

‘Why did I write that?!’  He thought to himself.  ‘What would happen if he figured out?!  God I’m such an idiot!!!’

“Keith?”  Lance was right in his face.  “I’m a little worried about you, you’re out of it today.”  Too close… TOO CLOSE!

“I’M GOING HOME NOW!”

“What?”  Lance was shocked.  Keith ran out of the kitchen and bolts out of the cafe.  Allura and Lance stare at the door along with the customers.  After a few minutes have passed Allura looked at Lance.

“I might need you again.”  Lance groans and went back into the kitchen to do Keith’s job for the second time.

* * *

Keith came home and flopped on the couch.  Black gave the human a look that said, ‘you are a hopeless human being.’.

“Don’t stare at me like that you oversized fluff ball.”  Keith growled.  Black stared at Keith then quickly licked itself.  Keith was weirded out by how quickly that happened.  Cats were weird, he was weirder since he was a cat person.

Keith turns and lays on his back, staring at the pale blue ceiling.  He didn’t know what to do, he felt sick all day, but Allura and Pidge say he’s fine.  He felt like he was slowly dying, like he was going to up chuck his lunch and cry.  He felt like he was on fire, what is this?

Whatever it was it wasn’t healthy.  He heard Shiro walk in, he stares at his brother.

“Still feeling ill?”

“My face is burning.”

“Let me see…”  Shiro said in a bored tone.  Keith looked up and caught Shiro off guard, he was red as fuck.  “Okaaaaaaay you are blushing like a madman.”  Shiro said quickly.

“Blushing?”  Keith asks.

“Yes, that explains why you feel warm.  All the blood is rushing to your cheeks.”

“WHY?!”

“Cause you’re embarrassed, flustered-”

“Ill?”

“No, you’re not ill.  I know you’re not now, you’re red.”  He said.  “Is there something you want to tell me?”

“No cause I don’t know!”  Keith shouts.  “Wait a minute.”  He remembered Pidge saying she knew.  He ran to his room and got his phone out, he called her immediately.

She picks up, the sound of a shooter game in the background.

“Sup Keith?”  Pidge asks, she sounded like she had food in her mouth… attractive.

“What’s wrong with me?!”

“Huh?”  
“You know what’s wrong with me!  So tell me!”

“Are you serious Keith?”  She sounded annoyed, but Keith was just as annoyed.  He wanted to know what this was and by golly he will figure out god dammit.  He heard her sigh, he could tell she was pinching her brows together in frustration.  “Okay listen you’re not sick.”

“I know that, so what is it?”

“Is it around Lance?  Like only Lance?”

“Yes!”  Keith nods, though Pidge couldn’t see it.

“And you like guys?”

“I’m gay as fuck.”  Shiro choked on air, he knew his brother was gay now but still… who says that?

“Okay so you’re gay and it’s around Lance, now you tell me what this is.”

“If I knew then I wouldn’t be asking Pidge.”  Keith comments, she practically screamed she was so frustrated.

“OH MY GOD KEITH, YOU LIKE HIM!”

“Huh?”

“YOU!  YOU HAVE A THING FOR LANCE!”

“A thing?”

“OH FOR THE LOVE OF- DO I NEED TO SPELL IT OUT FOR YOU?!”  She got louder.  “YOU ARE IN LOVE WITH LANCE!”

Keith froze, he stood there unable to move.

“I…”  He drops his phone and hid his face.  “Oh God I have a crush on Lance…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betcha didn't noticed I added a new tag! Aw poor Keefer can't handle his emotions~


	19. Don't Speak of It

Keith didn’t know what to do.  He kept repeating it to himself, trying to come to terms that he did indeed like Lance McClain.

“I have a crush on Lance…  I have a crush on Lance… I can’t believe I have a crush on him… on Lance…”

“Keith please stop pacing, it’s making me dizzy.”  Shiro said, he was trying to watch TV but instead he has been watching his brother for the past hour repeating that phrase to himself over… and over… and over… and this is what insanity is like, isn’t it?

“Shiro what do I do?  I’ve never had a crush on anyone!  I don’t know how this works!”  He panics.

“Here I’ll give you some brotherly advice.  Just be yourself and stay his friend, who knows… he may like you back.”  Shiro gave Keith a kind smile.

“B-But what if he figures out and hates me for it?”  Keith said quietly.

“I don’t think Lance is the type to hate someone for having a crush on him.”  Shiro said.  “From what Allura’s been texting me, he sounds like a flirt.  Must be a good people person, loving up all the ladies.”  Keith felt that same anger boil in him.

“Great…”  He grumbles.  Shiro gave him a smirk.

“Aw you’re jealous, you’ve only figured out you liked him and now you’re acting like this?”

“I still want him.”  Keith pouts.  “Fuck I am so screwed.  He’ll never like me, I’m only his friend.”  Keith looks down.

“So you give up already?”

“Hell no!”

“I don’t fully understand how your brain works…”  Shiro was honest to God confused at the moment.  Keith gave Shiro a determined smile.

“I will show him that I like him… without telling him!”

“Uh… yeah good luck with that.”  Shiro said.  ‘God help him…’

* * *

Keith knew it wasn’t a good idea to confront Pidge about this but they were best friends so it was common to tell your best friend about your crush right?  As soon as he found her he quickly grabs her and pulled her aside, she panicked but as soon as she realized it was Keith she calmed down.

“What the heck Keith?”

“You won’t tell Lance right?”

“What are you talking about?”  Pidge asks, then it hit.  “Oh right… oh I was so going to tell him.”  She smirks.

“No please!  Promise you won’t tell him!  He’ll hate me forever if he figures out!”

“I highly doubt that, he told me you two made a dumb promise to stay friends forever.”  She rolls her eyes at the cheesy idea.

“I know he made that promise, but still… our friendship would be very awkward if he figured out!  I’m still nervous about the note thing, I can never write near him again!”  He whines, Pidge’s eyes grew wide.

“Note?  You mean the prince one?  You… You wrote that?!”

“Shut up!”

“Oh GOD!  Keith you can’t make me keep this a secret!  I have to tell Lance you like him and that you think he’s a fine piece of ass!”  She teases, Keith held her back.

“NO NO NO YOU WILL NOT!”

“But I MUST!”

“NO IF YOU LOVE ME YOU WILL NOT TELL HIM!”

“I LOVE YOU BUT YOU’RE A COWARD!”  The two fought.  Hunk came in and filmed them.  He didn’t want to break up a fight if it meant good content.

* * *

“Hey Lance, how would you feel if a guy liked you?”  Keith silently screamed at Pidge.  She promised she wouldn’t tell after their fight but he never said she couldn’t hint at it to Lance.  Meaning Keith was fucked.

Lance stopped eating and stared at his friend.

“Well I’m bi...”  Lance said.  Pidge slams her hands on the table.

“You’re bi?”

“Yeah?”  He gave her a look.  She smiles.

“If Keith started liking you, would you consider dating him?!”  She asks happily, Keith was so going to kill her.  Pidge was going to die.

“Yeah.”  Lance said without hesitation.  Keith and Pidge stare Lance down.  That’s it, Keith was done.  He got up quickly and fell over.  The whole friend group watch him, Hunk got up and helped his friend up.

“You okay there bud?”  He asks. Keith shook him away.

“Fine… I'm fine.”

“Are you sure?”  Hunk asks. “Maybe you should see the nurse just in case.”  

“No, no no I'm fine.  Just need to clear my head is all.”  Keith took his tray back and left the cafeteria.  Pidge got up and ran after him.

“KEITH WAIT UP!”  She finally caught up to him, as soon as they were far away he turned and glared at her.  She felt no fear whatsoever.

“Seriously?!  You HAD to ask that?”

“Well you have a fair chance now.”  Pidge said with a smile.

“Pidge, I don’t want him to know!”

“Why?  He said he’d give you a chance.  So GO FOR IT!”

“No!”  Keith pouts.  “He was saying that to be nice, he isn’t interested.  Besides…”  Keith looks down.  “He seems more into women, seeing how he flirts with them so much and so often.”  Keith remembered the cafe, it still made him uneasy.

“I’ve known Lance for a while and I can safely say… yeah he’s a flirt.”  Pidge nods.  “But this is about YOU Keith!  Lance cares about you so fucking much, hell I think he adores you.  Think about it, did he ever say anything to you that was kind of romantic?”  She asks.  Keith thought for a moment, trying to recall everything he’s ever said to Keith.

“He… called me the cutest thing in the world once.”  He remembered.  Pidge groans with this new information.  “What?”

“You two will probably be the death of me.”  She admits.  “Alright, I see what must be done.  Clearly you are too much of a chicken and Lance is oblivious to your feelings yet will flirt with you.”

“Hm?”

“I will be your wingman.”

“YOU ARE A TERRIBLE WINGMAN!”  Keith shouts.

“Now whenever you need help, I’ll be there.”

“NO, YOU’RE AWFUL!”  Keith shouts again.  “I DO NOT WANT YOU TO BE MY WINGMAN!”

“I will not rest until you two get together.”

“DID YOU NOT HEAR ME?  FOR THE LOVE OF GOD  DO!  NOT!  BE!  MY!  WINGMAN!”

“Lunch is almost over so let’s wait for Hunk and Lance here.”

“STOP IGNORING ME!  YOU ARE THE WORST BEST FRIEND EVER!”  He whines, she looks away and whistles.  “HEY!”

“What are you shouting about?”  Lance asks in a slightly annoyed tone.  Keith ran behind Lance and glared at Pidge, she smirks and gave him a thumbs up.  Hunk and Lance both look at Keith wanting an explanation for all the yelling.

* * *

“So that’s what that was about?”  Hunk asks.  Keith nods slightly.  “She said if you ever liked someone she’d be your wingman?”

“That’s it.”  Keith said.  Lance started to chuckle.  “What?”

“That’s common amongst friends Keith, Pidge is a girl so this kind of thing might interest her a bit.”  He explained, Keith shook his head.

“That’s so dumb, Allura’s never acted like this.”

“Allura doesn’t have many friends.”  Lance points out.

“You’re her only non family friend.”  Keith said.  “But back on topic, she’s awful and I don’t want her to be my wingman.”

“So if it ever came up, who would you want to be your wingman?”  Lance asks.

“Hunk.”

“Yeah!”

“Wait why?”  Lance was hurt.  “Why not me?”

“Cause you’d spill it.”

“Ouch.”  The group finished changing and went up into the gym, Pidge was done and messing with the baseball they had.  She looks at them and threw it, the girl had quite the throw.  Lance caught it and threw it back, Pidge can’t catch for shit so she ran from it when she saw Lance aimed it perfectly at her head.

“Sorry Pidge!”

“The fuck man?!”  She shouts.  “That almost nailed me in the face!”

“Hey I said sorry!”

“Sorry doesn’t fix a broken face!”  She hisses.  Lance looks away from the girl he calls a friend and stayed with Hunk.  Keith looks at the two then back at Pidge.  He walked towards her and began to talk.

“You’re face wouldn’t break if a ball hit it… maybe your nose.”

“What would you know, Kogane?”

“More than you apparently.”

“Meh go stick your nose in a book.”

“Quit sticking your nose into other people’s love lives.”

“Touché.”  She looks at her friend and smiles.  “You know… if you want to talk about boys then you can come over to my place.  I am a straight girl after all so if you want to you know… talk about your crush and all you can talk to me.”

“You want me to spill everything don’t you?”

“No, well I want to know at least… and use it as blackmail… but come on I should know at least!”  She pouts.  “Come ooooon we’re best friends Keith!”

“If I come over, will you not tell Lance?”

“Yes!”

“Fine, I’ll think about it.”  Keith walks back to the other two, Pidge follows him and joins her guy friends conversation.

* * *

Keith went into Pidge’s home for the first time and saw Lance hanging out with her playing the wiiU.  Great, he wanted to speak with her alone and now Lance was there.  The two were competitive with the racing game they were playing.  He walked in and picked up a wiimote and waited for them to stop.  They didn’t question him being there, they were so engrossed in the game.

As soon as they were done they got to pick characters.  Keith saw them pick mii’s, he didn’t have one on Pidge’s wii so he went with Metal Mario.  They picked their cars and that’s when it started.

“Nice car Lance.”  Pidge snorts.

“Hey the cat car is fine!”

“Gay ass cat car, hope you fucking lose!”

“Oh you’ll be the one losing!”  Lance and her went at it.  Keith stayed quiet, hell his expression never changed.  They started and right away they were competing to see who’d win this race, meanwhile Keith was in first beating them both.

“WHO THE HELL IS FIRST?!”

“I don’t know.”  Lance said.  “Buuut I got a blue shell.”  He threw it.  Keith got hit but he was so far ahead it didn’t matter.  He still one the first few matches.  Finally they went to the waterpark zone.  As they were in the middle of it Keith put a banana peel on the jump boost near a pit.  Pidge didn’t notice it till it was too late and she hit it and fell in the pit.

“Wha- what the- WHO PUTS A BANANA PEEL ON A JUMP PAD?!”  That caused Lance to laugh.  “NO SERIOUSLY I KNOW THE CPU’S AREN’T THAT SMART WHO DID IT?!”  

She noticed Keith who had a small smirk on his face.

“IT WAS YOU WASN’T IT KEITH!”  She accuses him, all he did was put his hand to his mouth, he was guilty.  “THAT’S NOT WHAT YOU DO KOGANE!  YOU CAN PUT A PEEL ON A SPEED BOOST, NOT A JUMP BOOST!”

“P-Pidge calm down.”

“SHUT UP YOU GAY ASS CAT CAR, NO ONE LIKES YOU!”

“What did I do?”  Lance asks.

“THAT IS NOT PROPER MARIO KART EDICATE!  THAT’S NOT RIGHT KEITH, YOU DON’T FUCKING DO THAT!  WOULD YOU LIKE IT IF I DID THAT TO YOU?!  NO, NO YOU WOULDN’T!  YOU KNOW WHAT?  I’M GOING AFTER YOU, YOU DIE TONIGHT!”  She shouts.

“GET BACK HERE!  GET LOST YOU FUCKING UGLY ASS CAT CAR!”

“I swear what did I do?”  Lance asks again.  Keith won that race, he did the hand on mouth thing again.

“You WHORE!”  She shouts.  Keith looked at her.

“Pu pu pu pu pu pu~”  He did the evil giggle.  Keith put the wiimote down and didn’t race again.  

“No one does that, only you.  You bitch.”  She was salty.  Keith sat back and watched the two play again.  Pidge would not let the banana peel thing go.  “Oh lookie a banana peel on a fucking speed boost, not a JUMP BOOST!”

“Pidge let it go.”  Lance was still laughing.

“Quiet, no one likes you or your cat car!”

“God you are not getting over that.”

“No, now every time we play I’m going to remind you EVERY TIME WE PLAY!”  She shouts.  “Only Satan does that, you’re taking his throne.  I hope you burn, all of you burn!”  

“This is the greatest thing that has ever happened in a Mario Kart game.”  Lance said in between giggles.

“Shut up.”

“Your attitude needs some adjustment.”

“My attitude is fine, I have a great attitude fuck you!”

“Yeah right.”

“Shut up I hope you fucking die, NO ONE DOES THAT!”

* * *

Lance went home after that, he wishes he taped Pidge’s meltdown, it was great.  Instead he only had the memory.  

He walks in and sees Sam and Sarah watching TV while Rico was coloring.  Lance plops next to the two on the couch and watched whatever they were watching.

“What’s on?”

“Princess Diaries.”  Sam said.

“And you call me gay?”

“Shut up!”  Sam hisses.  “You are literally gay.”

“Bi.”

“ _Nadie se preocupa._ ”

“I care, now shut up and watch.”  Lance points at the TV.  They continued to watch it, Sarah smiles at Lance.  He looks down at her, she points at the TV with that goofy grin of hers.  “What are you smiling about Sarah?”

“Princess is prettier than her, don’tcha think?”  She asks.  Lance started to laugh, Sarah thought that Keith was a prettier “princess” than the actress playing a “princess”.  Lance was so telling that to Keith, he wasn’t texting him that, no.  He wanted to see the expression on his face when he says that.

“ _¿Crees que Keith la princesa más guapa?_ ”  Lance asks, Sarah nods happily though Lance could tell she was a little hesitant with her answer.  “ _Supongo que él es._ ”

“Yeah, he is prettier.”  She giggles.  Lance smirks and went back to watching TV.  Sam just gave his brother a look.  He still had a hard time believing his brother befriended Keith, the scariest guy in school.  The one who beat up his friends and Lance himself.  Got Lance into detention, and just made his first month or two a living hell.  He thought his brother was nuts.

“Why are you friends with someone like that?”  Sam asks.  Lance looks at his brother.

“Who?  Keith?”  Sam nods.  “I thought he needed someone, after we talked normally to each other I saw how much he needed someone in his life.  He needed friends, so I stepped up and vowed to be his friend.”

“What if he does something stupid?”

“Well then I pull him out of it.”

“You won’t leave him, call him an idiot and fucking cut off the friendship?”  Sam asks, Lance looks at his brother.

“I made a promise to Keith, that no matter what happened I’d be there for him.  That we’d be friends.”  Lance said.  “So I won’t leave Keith, Allura said he lost way too many people.  I don’t want to leave him after he’s lost so much.”  Sam flicked his tongue.

“Sounds cheesy as fuck.”

“You sound like a total dick.”

“I respect your other friends, not this one.”  Sam points out.  “Wanna hear what my friends have to say about your friendship?  They say “Yo Sam why the fuck is your brother hanging out with Keith?  He must have some balls to hang out with that guy.”.”

“Yeah and what did you say to them?  You completely embarrassed him.”

“He’s fine.  He should come out to everyone and say he’s gay.  Warn everyone that he’s a fucking violent ass faggot!”  Lance slapped his brother across the face.  Sam was completely stunned.  His brother was stronger than he thought.

“I will not have you speak that way about someone you barely know.  He is my friend and I respect him no matter who he is or what he’s done.”  Lance hisses.  Sam glares at his brother.

“Sounds like you care more about him than me!”

“Sam that is not true.”

“Yes it is!  You love him way more than you love me!”  Sam ran upstairs to his room.

“ _¡Samuel, ven aquí!_ ”  Lance shouts.  “Samuel!”  Lance groans and sat down on the couch.  Sarah and Rico looked at each other then back at their older brother.

“ _¿Es Sam va a ser bien Lance?_ ”  Sarah asks, Lance pats her head and nods.

“He’ll be fine sweetie… he’ll be fine.”

* * *

Lance walked into his room a few minutes after Sam ran off, he noticed the window opened and crawled out.  He sat next to his brother, Sam refused to look at Lance.  He could tell his little brother was crying, their family had a hard time hiding tears.

“Sam.”  Lance began.  Sam scoots away from him.  “I’m sorry, but you need to watch what you say.”  Sam hid his head.

“There it is again!  You’re defending him, you obviously care about him more than me.”  Sam said trying not to cry again.  Lance looked at the sky, clouds covered the stars.

“You were in the wrong this time.  I do not care about him more than you.  You are my

brother Sam, I love you more.”  

“I call bullshit, you care about him more than anyone.  I wouldn’t be surprised if you two started dating.”

“Sam.”  Lance started to laugh.  “Keith isn’t into me at all.  I care about him as a friend, Keith and I are in a small friend group so we show more love and care in our group.  Do you understand?”  He asks, Sam shook his head.  “How many friends are in your group?”

“About nine or so, why?”

“In my group at school?  Three, not counting me.”  Lance said.  “So obviously we show more care than most groups, we have less to look out for.”

“Really…”  Sam wasn’t sure about that.

“Yes, hell none of us are the same.”

“The… same?”

“We aren’t the same, we all are different.”

“Explain.”  Sam said.  Lance chuckles and looks back at the sky.

“Well Hunk is awesome.  He loves food, Pidge tells me he’s a great cook.  He also likes to film things… I don’t know why but I want to know cause he’s filmed me more than once.  He’s also extremely smart, like really smart, but a coward nonetheless.”  Lance explained.  “Pidge’s real name is Katie.  She loves videogames and is skilled with them.  I think videogames are more of a passion than a hobby.  I’ve never seen someone so skilled with them, she could play anything and tell you about any game, she’s like an insane fangirl.  Also Pidge likes conspiracy theories, especially about aliens.  Also she’s a hacker, I fear for anyone that pisses her off.”

“Keith seems angry but in reality he’s like a small child.  We took him to an arcade and he wanted to play Pacman of all games and he didn’t know that he needed a card to start the game.  He likes theories like Pidge and believes in fucking everything I know of.  Ghosts, aliens, monsters, all the cryptic bullshit out there.  He loves to read rather than watch TV, which I find very odd, but he isn’t the best at math.  Also he’s slow when it comes to human interactions.  Plus he’s very clingy for some reason.”

“That does not sound like the loner kid I’ve come to know.”

“Duh, and he’s not a loner anymore.”  Lance said, he looks at his brother.  “You know I love you and the others more though.  You guys are my family, you come first.  Alright?”

“I still call bullshit.”

“Sam.”  Lance hugs his brother tight.  “ _Tanto, te amo, Sarah y Rico significa más para mí que cualquier cosa. Quiero que sepas que lo que digo es cierto. ¿Muy bien hermanito?_ ”  He could feel Sam stiffen during their hug, Lance knew he was holding back tears.  Sam has always been the one to run away and show everyone how strong he was, Lance knew better, all the siblings knew better.

“ _... Yo soy lo siento hermano mayor ... Lo siento._ ”  Sam whispers, Lance chuckles and kept him in a tight embrace.

“Jeez, you can cry you know.  I forgive you, so just stop being so dramatic.”

“I’m not being dramatic.”

“You so are.”  Lance smirks, his phone goes off.  Lance lets go of Sam and checks it, it was Allura, all she sent was a sad emoji face.  “That can’t be good.”

“What is it?”

“My friend Allura sent me this.”

“Allura?”

“She’s a friend who isn’t in high school, I met her at her cafe.”  Lance said.  “I think she needs help.”  Lance crawled back in.  “You’re in charge of the small kids.”

“Okay.”

“Get off the roof.”

“Make me.”  Sam chuckles.

“If Mamá beats you for being up here than don’t blame me.”  He said and walked out.  He waved at Sam who was still on the roof.

* * *

“Allura?”  Lance calls, he notices how busy it was.  She looks over and waves him over.  He walks up while putting her customer on hold for a second.

“Lance, Lance thank God.”  She points at the kitchen.  “Keith and I are at our limit.  Go in the kitchen and help him while I take orders.”  She begs.  Lance nods and walks into the kitchen, he takes off his jacket and threw it up.  Keith was making a drink when he saw Lance.

“Oh, h-hi Lance!”  Keith said while trying to stay calm.  Lance walks over and took an order down.

“Have you made this yet?”

“If it’s up there than no.”  Keith said.  “Allura, Red Lion: Hot Chocolates!”  He hands it to Allura.

“Thank you.”  She took it from him.  Lance read his and made the drinks, and looked at the pastry written down.

“Cream horn?  What is that?”  Lance looked through all the pastries in confusion.

“Oh come on!”  Keith sounded annoyed.  He runs over and quickly took out a cream horn.  He puts it on a drink tray next to the drink Lance made.  “Allura, Black Lion: Vanilla Blossoms and Yellow Lion: Cream horn!”

“Thanks.”  Allura took it.  Keith went back to making another drink.  Lance took another order and tried keeping up.  Everytime he had a pastry he didn’t know what it was so Keith had to come over and take it.

“Dammit Lance, how do you not know these?”  Keith asks.  “Allura, Green Lion: Green tea and Yellow Lion: Eclair!”

“Thanks.”  She took it.  “You boys are doing great, keep it up.”

“We’d be doing better if Lance knew what he was doing.”  Keith said in a cold tone.

“Hey I am trying to help!”  Lance snaps.  “I don’t know the pastries at all, you’ve work here for a while unlike me.”  Lance took another order and groans.  “What the fuck is a mille-feuille?!”

“Oh are you-”  Keith slams the spoon he was stirring with down and storms up to him.  He pulled a fluffy pastry out.  “THIS!  THIS IS A MILLE-FEUILLE!”

“WHY ARE YOU YELLING AT ME, AND HOW THE HELL WOULD I HAVE KNOWN WHAT THAT IS?!”

“IT’S OBVIOUS!”

“BOYS!”  Allura’s voice rained supreme.  “We have many orders to complete.  What are you two fighting about?”

“I don’t know the pastries and Keith is getting mad at me!”

“Keith.”  Allura looks at Keith with a disappointed look.

“They are obvious!”  Keith complains.  She rolls her eyes and went back to taking orders.  Keith and Lance groan and went back to work.  Lance took another order down and looks at Keith.

“Okay here’s the plan.  Whenever there is an order with a pastry you take it and I’ll take the drink orders.”  Lance said.

“Fine.”  Keith took Lance’s order and started making the drink for it.  Lance looked at the others and found one with no pastries.  He made it and calls to Allura.

“Hey, Green Lion: Chai tea.”

“Thank you.”  She takes it from Lance, Keith runs up while Lance started another order.

“Blue Lion: Mango Smoothie and Yellow Lion: Turnover.”

“Oh… uh.  Thank you.”  Allura was a little shocked how quick that was.  Lance hands her the next order.

“Blue Lion: Coke Float.”

“Okay thanks.”

“Red Lion: Decaf coffee with a shot of mocha and Yellow Lion: Blueberry Muffin.”

“Boys you’re-”

“Green Lion: Honey Lemon Ginger Tea.”

“How are you two working so fast?”  She asks.  Keith looks at her and shrugs as he hands her the next order.

“Yellow Lion: pastelitos.”  He said.

“Hey I know that one!”  Lance shouts, he ran up and stared at the pastry.  “You didn’t tell me you had pastelitos!”  He pouts.

“Why do you sound so offended?”  Keith asks giving him a look.  Lance looked at Allura.

“There better be one left when this is over!”  Lance shouts.  He took the last order and prepared it.  “Red Lion: Hot Chocolate.”

“Uh… why do you want those so badly?”  Keith asks.  

“Uh mi Mamá use to make them all the time when we were in Cuba, duh.”  Lance said.  “Should we start cleaning?”  He asks.  Allura nods while she hands the customer the drinks.  The two began to clean the kitchen, after that they went out and cleaned the lobby while Allura counted the money.  The three sat at a table, glad they got everything done.

“How about I give you that pastelitos you wanted so badly, also a mocha latte.”  Allura said.  Lance’s eyes lit up, he nods like a child.

“Allura we just got all the dishes done.  Don’t make more drinks, I don’t want to clean them again”  Keith complains.

“I guess you don’t want a hot chocolate?”  She smirks.  Keith just stares at her, he looks down and pouts.

“... Shot of vanilla please?”  He asks quietly.  The older woman giggles like a child.

“I know how you like it Sweetie.”  She kisses Keith’s head and walks into the kitchen.  Lance watches her walk in and start making everything.  Lance looks back at his friend who was still pouting.

“She is like a big sister to you.”  He said.  Keith rolls his eyes and looks at the table.

“I guess.”  Keith smiles.  “Even though she annoys me, I still love her.”  

“That’s what sisters do, annoy you.”  Lance’s smile fades.  “But you love them anyways…”

“Lance.”

“N-No no I’m fine!”  Lance shook his hand, trying to protest.

“I’m sorry, I made it worse.”

“You’re fine, it’s my fault.”  Lance said.  Allura comes back and hands everyone their things.  Lance squeals like a little girl and picked up the pastry.

“Yay!  Pastelitos~  pastelitos~”  He sang as he ate it, Keith and Allura laugh at him.  He didn’t care how childish he looks, he was happy.  Allura took a sip of her coffee and looks at the two boys who seemed quiet.

“So how’s life since the horrid man left?”  She asks.  Lance looks up, mouth full of pastelitos.  He swallows whatever he had in his mouth, coughing a bit and looked down.

“Um… f-fine I guess.  Though I’m worried about mi Mamá, since Rebecca’s gone she’s

the only one working.  She’s taking care a four kids plus herself.  I feel bad.”  Lance said, the other two look at Lance with a look of pity.  Allura took another sip of coffee and closes her eyes in thought.

“Lance, you want to help your Mother, correct?”

“Of course.”  Lance said.  “I love mi Mamá, I want to make it easier on her.”

“And I need some help around the cafe.”  She smiles.  “How would you feel about working at the cafe?”

“Huh?”

“Start working at the cafe.”  She said.  “I’ll pay you fifty bucks each night.”

“F-Fifty?!”

“That’s how much I pay Keith, and hell I make a lot of money.”  She said.  “As you can see my stuff is expensive.”

“Yeah I can see.”

“My Father made the prices, he gives me all the supplies for half the price.  So I make a hefty profit~”  She said.  “What do you say?”  Lance nods.

“If it means money to help mi Mamá then of course!”

“Good, having two people helping out will be great for business.  Also two people who work well together.”  She smirks.  Lance nods happily, Keith stayed silent.  “Which reminds me.”  She walks to the counter and pulls out fifty, she hands it to Lance.  “Your payment.”

“Thanks Allura.”  Lance said.  He got up quickly and smiles.  “See ya tomorrow.”  He winks at Keith.  “And see you later, partner~”  He walks off.  As soon as Lance was out of sight Keith faceplants at the table, praying the cold table would help with his face.  In short it wasn’t helping.

Allura took another sip of coffee without looking at her brother.

“You’re pining is so cute.”

“Wait huh?!”

“I’ve noticed.”  She said.  “It was obvious.  Also you were going in circles saying “I have a crush on Lance.” that one night.  I came home to that…”

“Y-You noticed?”  Keith was embarrassed.

“It’s cute~”  She teases.  “I could tell you had a thing for him.  You know if you wait to tell him and this feeling grows you might get these weird dreams where you-”

“Oh my God Allura SHUT UP!”  He yells.  Allura giggles like a child and kicks her feet.  “Who talks about that?!”

“Me.”  She said.  “Your reactions are funny.”

“I hate you.”  Keith whines.  He sat with his giggly sister, he hates that he has to live with her and he regrets telling Shiro to try and go after her.  He regrets a lot of things in his life, but this?  For now he regrets this one the most.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pidge's Mario Kart rage is actually a conversation my sister and I had. I was the bitch that put the banana peel on the jump pad and everything Pidge said was word for word what my sister said. So I hope you enjoyed Pidge's rage XD


	20. First Snowfall

Sam woke Lance up that Sunday in excitement.  Lance slowly woke up and squints at Sam, trying to see him.  Nothing he did made his brother look less blurry.  He looks at him waiting for Sam to calm down.

“Lookie  _ hermano mayor,  _ outside!”

“Outside?”

“ _ ¡Está nevando, hay nieve! _ ”

“What?!”  Lance found his glasses and ran to the window, just as Sam just said.  There was snow on the ground.  He smiles at Sam and ran downstairs.  Their mom stops them.

“ _ ¿En los niños que crees que vas? _ ”  She asks with a smile.

“Uh…”  Lance tried to make an excuse.

“We have to get ready for church.”

“But Mamá!  There is snow!”  Lance whines.

“You can play like a bunch of  _ los niños  _ after church.”  She said.  Lance and Sam groan and walk back upstairs to get changed for church.  The heard Sarah and Rico run downstairs, only to walk back up a few seconds later.  The two boys laugh knowing they got the same speech.  The kids could not play in the snow.

* * *

Lance sat in the passenger seat and watches the scenery go by.  Sarah and Sam were playfully smacking each other in the back while Rico was counting his fingers for some odd reason.  The kids wanted to play outside but church came first.

They McClain’s walk in and did the usual thing.  Greet, go in the sanctuary, then sing, then listen to the preacher.  Sarah and Rico went to children’s church while Lance and Sam had to stay with their mom and listen to the pastor.  It’s not that they hated church, they’re at that age where they just find it boring.  Lance and Sam were teenagers, they wanted to do something else.

Once church was over the kids ran outside of their house and played in the snow.  Sarah and Lance made a snowman while Rico and Sam had a snowball fight.  Lance noticed the two having their snow war.  He snickers and made a snowball.  He threw it at Sam, nailing him in the head.

Lance fell over laughing.

“Dammit Lance!”  Sam started throwing snow at his older brother.  “You know you have good aim!”

“Sharpshooter!”  He cheers while laying in the snow.  Sam threw another snowball, it hit Lance’s face.  Lance still chuckled.

Sarah rolled past her brother and made a giant snowball, Lance looks at it and lays on it.

“Ah~ So comfy~”

“Really Lance?”  Sarah asks.  “You lay on my giant snowball?”

“Yes, it’s perfect for stretching my long ass back!  God I hate being this tall.”  Lance just lays on the giant snowball while Sarah walks off to make a snow angel.  Sam and Rico continued their war.  The four screamed when a snowplow came by and pushed a ton of snow near their home.  They ran inside and didn’t come back out for the rest of the day.

* * *

Lance walks into school noticing everyone was dark, moody, and tired.  Well it was Monday and there was cold death outside, no one wanted to be there.  Lance walks towards his locker and started his routine.  He heard a groan and felt a small head hit his back.

“Hi Pidge.”

“Hi.”  She crawls on his back and falls asleep like usual.  Lance grabs his things and waits for Hunk.  He showed up later looking as done as everyone else.

“Morning Hunk.”

“I hate the snow.  Have to take the bus now.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s cold, wet, and ruins everything like now I can’t ride my bike anymore so I have to take the stupid bus.  Snow sucks.”  Hunk said.

“That isn’t true, I love snow.”

“Why?”  Hunk was legit confused.

“Well when I lived in Cube we never got snow, only rain.  I’m saying is that snow isn’t bad.”  Lance smiles.  “It’s so great.”

“Morning you three… two.”  Keith walks in looking tired.

“You okay?”  Lance asks.

“Allura kept me up all night, she was talking about boys and stuff and she wouldn’t let me leave.  Shiro wouldn’t save me either.”  Keith said in a monotone voice.  “How’s your day going?”

“Great, though the snowplow blocked the driveway at my house.”

“You don’t have a driveway.”  Keith points out, still with the monotone voice.

“Yes we do, and are you going to wake up?”  Lance asks.  Keith leans into Hunk and closes his eyes, Hunk just stares at him confused.

“I’m guessing that’s a no.”  Hunk said.  Keith fell asleep.  “Okay who falls asleep standing?”  He asks.  Lance shrugs and walks to class with Pidge.  He heard Hunk wake up Keith in the back, Keith walked a few feet then fell on the floor.  Damn he was tired.

* * *

Literacy was decent, everyone was getting ready to read a new book.  Keith was so ecstatic about it… no he was passed out on his desk.  Lance reached over and pats his head.

“Keeeith… Keeeeeiiiiiith.”  Nothing.  “Come on Keefer, wake up.”

“N’t cll meh keefer…”  He mumbles.

“Then wake up.”  Lance commands.  “Come on, Mrs. Boston will not be happy.”

“I want sleep.”  He whines.

“And I want you to stay awake.”

“If you love me you’ll let me sleep.”

“I love you so very much Keith, so I’m waking you up so you avoid getting in trouble now wake up.”  Lance pats his back.  Keith groans uncomfortably, he wants Lance to just leave him alone.  He wanted sleep, wanted to go into a dream world and never leave.  He hates reality, nothing good comes from it.  “Keith come on.”  Except for that.

“Why you do this?”  Keith asks.  “Why?”

“Cause, now get up please.”  Lance said.  “You can sleep at lunch.”

“No… I need to eat at lunch cause gym class.”  Keith said.  Lance rubs his back.

“You have a rough life Keith.”

“Damn straight I do.”

“Nothing straight about it.  Ayo~”  Keith got up at that and started hitting him.

“I take back all my love for you!  You are nothing to me now!”

“No!”  Lance hugs Keith.  “I am your cornchip!  We’re buddies, you can’t leave me!”  Lance whines.  Keith smirks and pretends to ignore Lance, like he was nothing.  “Keeef!  Don’t ignore me!”  Nothing.  “I’ll let you sleep just please!”

The bell rang and Keith got up, Lance kept trying to get his attention when walking to lunch.  Lance followed him in the lunch line begging to get his attention, Keith was a tough one to crack.  He wouldn’t even look at him, but he still had a shit eating grin on his face.  The two sat down and Lance didn’t stop.

“Come on!  You cannot keep ignoring me!”  Lance pouts.  Keith looks at Pidge.

“Do you hear something?”

“No why?”

“I have this ringing in my ear, like a bug.  It just won’t go away.”

“ _ ¡VETE A LA MIERDA TANTO! _ ”  Lance shouts.

“Ah no, I think it’s going away now.”  Keith smirks.

“FINE THEN, I DON’T NEED YOU!”  Lance looks away and kept eating.  Hunk looks at the other two with a done face.

“Really you two?”  He asks.  Keith and Pidge giggle like idiots.  “You both are children.”

“Hey I’m fourteen, give me a break.”  Pidge said.  Hunk rolls his eyes and continued to eat and played on his phone.  Lance gave Hunk big eyes.

“Y-You’ll still pay attention to me, right?”

“I don’t have a choice.”  Hunk said.  Lance hugs his lovable best friend.

“YAY!”  He glares at the other two still clinging to Hunk.  “I love Hunk more than both of you!”

“Everyone loves Hunk.”  Pidge says.  “Hunk is an angel that blesses you with his presence.”

“What?”  Hunk was confused.

“We are not worthy!”  Keith bows at the table.

“Guys, this is making me uncomfortable.”

“A ray of sunshine in the darkest of nights, the greatest thing God has ever created.  Tis Hunk Garrett!”  Pidge kept going while Keith was still bowing.

“Guys knock it o-”

“The purist thing to ever exist!”  Lance joins in.

“Aw man, not you too.”

“The greatest person to walk this Earth!”

“Who am I, Mother Teresa?”  Hunk was honestly confused, where was all of this coming from.  Lance said he liked him more than the others and now he was being showered with unnecessary praise.

“The most lovable man in the world!  Everyone look at him and all his glory!  Praise the cinnamon roll, PRAISE HIM!”  Pidge shouts, everyone bows before him.  Hunk sat in his seat feeling uncomfortable and confused.

“W-What the fuck just happened?”

* * *

Everyone got ready for gym and waited for coach to come out and announce the game.  Lance stood with Hunk and waited for the other two.  Pidge came out and smirks at Hunk.

“I am not worthy!”

“Knock it off, please.”  Hunk said.

“Fine.”  She giggles.  Keith came out moments later with that tired look again.  Lance chuckles while Pidge pokes his head.  No reaction.  “Dude you seemed so awake a few minutes ago, what gives?”

Keith said nothing, he walked towards Lance and leaned his head against his chest.  Lance gave Keith a look but just smiles and rubs his head, running his fingers through his hair.

“Still real tired, huh Mullet.”

“Mmmm.”  Was Keith’s only response.  People around them gave the four odd looks but the group was learning to ignore it.  Lance, Pidge, and Hunk watched as Coach came out with his bag of bowling pins.  He looks at the small group and points at Keith.

“Red better wake up, it’s protect the pins today.”  He said.  Pidge grew an evil smile.

“My type of game.”  She says.

“Protect the pins?”

“It’s a game where Pidge can use her skills at bowling to knock over pins.  Pretty much dodgeball but with pins.”  Hunk said.  Lance shrugs and continues to mess with Keith’s hair.  The poor boy was out like a light.  Lance really didn’t want to wake Keith up.

“I don’t want to wake him.

“Come on Lance.”  Pidge said in a sour tone.

“He’s so cute though, look at him!”  He whines.  Lance kept Keith still, refusing to wake him up.  Pidge just stared at him, waiting for Lance to give in and wake Keith up.  “Stop, I will not wake him up.”

“Then I will.”

“No!  You leave my cinnamon bun alone.”  Lance lightly slaps Pidge away.  She just stared at him, then… she pushes Keith off violently.  Keith lands on the ground hard, he looks up, his face screams betrayal.  

“Why?”  He cried softly.  Lance felt bad, he felt like he hurt a kitten.

“I’m sorry, I tried stopping her.”

“I am not sorry, Coach wants you to wake up.”  Pidge walks away.  Keith got up and went back to Lance again.  Pidge groans as she saw Keith do the same thing again.  He rests his eyes and waited for Coach to tell everyone to get ready.

Finally he calls everyone to line up.  Lance noticed Keith wasn’t moving, Lance shuffled into the line while Keith was still resting his eyes.  Coach stops and stares at Lance.  He noticed Keith was asleep again, he points at him.

“Uh… I told you to wake Red up, didn’t I?”  He asks.  Lance just looks at Keith.

“He fell back asleep.”  Lance said.  Coach groans and points at one side.

“Alright, both of you on that side.”  He said.  Lance nods and woke Keith up slightly.

“Mmm?”  He opens one eye at Lance, the Cuban points at the side Coach told them to go to.

“Come on, this way.  We’re playing a game now.”

“Tired.”

“Yes yes I know.”  Lance pushes Keith to the other side.  Pidge and Hunk were on their team so the group was together.  The game starts and Pidge runs at the middle and immediately threw the balls at the pins on the other side.  Lance saw a ball roll up to his feet.  He picks it up and threw it hard at the other team, nailing one kid in the leg.

Hunk stood in front of a pin while Keith leaned against him and slept again.  Hunk looks over at Lance.

“Can you hand me a ball for protection?”

“Can’t you grab one?”  Lance asks, Hunk looks at his shoulder where Keith was then back at Lance.

“No…” 

“Fine.”  Lance tosses a ball at Hunk and continued playing.  He noticed Pidge was on the other side of the gym waving her arms like a mad woman.  “What the hell are you doing over there?”

“HELP!  I’M IN JAIL!  BAIL ME OUT!”

“Jail?”

“NO TIME TO QUESTION IT JUST THROW A BALL AT ME!”  She shouts, Lance 

shrugs and threw the ball he had at her.  She jumps and caught it, she happily runs over and threw the ball at a random kid.

“You really like this game don’t you?”  Lance asks, Pidge smiles and nods.  Hunk kept blocking while protecting a pin and being a cushion for Keith.  The group kept playing till the class was over.

* * *

“Are you okay to drive?”  Lance asks Keith who was leaning against him still tired.

“Mmhmm.”  He nods.  Lance sighs and walks with him to his car.

“Get in, I’m driving.”

“My car…”  He mumbles.

“And you’re too tired.”  Lance got on the driver’s side before Keith could, Keith groans and crawled in the back and laid down.  Lance looks over at the sleepy boy.  “You want to stop at my place before we go to the cafe?”

“Mmm.”

“I’m taking you back to my place.”  Lance said and started the car, he realized what it was.  “Shit… you drive a stick?”

“Yeah?”  Keith got up slowly.

“Well no time to learn like the present.”  Lance said and began to back out.  Keith’s eyes grew wide in fear, he woke up after hearing that.

“L-Lance please don’t drive if you don’t know how to drive a stick.”

“Hey I got it!”  Lance said.  “Just sit down and sleep.”

“No no no do not drive!  It is slick and icy outside!”

“I’m driving so sit back and shut up.”

“We’re gonna die!”  Keith fell back in his seat and feared for his life.  “I’m sorry God!  Please, if I die, please take me!”  He cried.

“Oh hush up Kogane, you’ll live.”  Lance shouts.  He began to drive down the road and managed to use it decently, Keith screaming at Lance on how to use it really helped.  They stopped in front of the McClain home and sigh in relief.  The two walk in and saw Sarah playing with Rico on the floor.

Sarah and Rico saw Keith and ran up to him happily.

“Hi Princess!”  Sarah said.

“Kei Kei!”  Rico smiles up at Keith.

“Hey you two.”  Keith said happily.  The two hug his legs and walked in with him.  He lays down on the couch and conks out again.  Sarah lays with him while Rico went back to playing on the floor.  Lance sat next to Rico and watches him play.

“You actually talked to Keith, I’m surprised.”

“No, Kei Kei!”

“Kei Kei?”  Lance asks.  Rico nods and points at Keith.

“Kei Kei!   _ Es Kei Kei. _ ”

“ _ Bueno bueno, su nombre es Kei Kei. Soy Rico lo siento. _ ”  Lance said, he looks around.  “Where’s Sam?”

“ _ Sam no es Inicio todavía. _ ”  Sarah spoke up.  Lance got up and looked around.

“That’s funny, he should’ve been home by now.”  Lance went upstairs to look for his brother.  Sarah and Rico stayed with Keith.  He woke up and looked at the two.

“Did Lance leave?”

“Sam isn’t home yet.”  Sarah said.

“Isn’t he usually home by now?”

“Yeah.”  She nods.  Keith was a little worried.  He sat up and watched Rico play.  Sarah joins her brother on the floor.  Lance runs in when Isabella walks out in her uniform.

“Lance, where are you going?”

“ _ ¿Mamá has visto a Sam? Sarah y Rico dice que no ha venido aún el hogar. _ ”  Lance asks.  She shook her head.

“ _ No lo he visto. ¿No en autobús inicio con él? _ ”

“No I came home with Keith, he was too tired to drive himself.”

“Oh… call him.  If you get him home then good, if not he’s dealing with me.”  She said.  “I gotta go.   _ Te quiero. _ ”  She kisses Lance’s cheek.  “ _ Te amo Sarah, Rico. _ ”  She kisses her kids heads.  “ _ Te amo demasiado Keith. _ ”  She walks over to Keith and kisses his head.

Keith froze at the contact, he held his head where she kissed him like it was something he’d never experience.  It was something he hadn’t felt in a long time, it was almost foreign to him, that kind of affection.  Isabella went to work leaving the kids alone.  Lance went out to look for Sam.

“Keith can you watch over these two?”

“Huh?!”  Keith looks at Lance in shock.  “W-Wait!”  He ran to Lance, grabbing his arm giving him a worried look.  “I don’t know how to take care of kids!”

“Nothing to it, plus those two seem to like you.”

“Rico just started talking to me!”

“Keith you’ll be fine, if anything happens then text me, okay?”

“No!  I can’t!  Let me look for Sam!”

“Sam hates you.”  Lance said.  “You stay here and watch the two who like you, I’ll find Sam.”  Lance looks at Sarah and Rico.  “ _ Dos, Keith está a cargo. ¿Escuchar a Kei Kei, lo consiguió? _ ”  The two kids nod, Keith stares at them then looks up in confusion.  He looks at Lance.

“D-Did you just call me “Kei Kei”?”

“I’ll be back.”

“Kei Kei?”  Keith did not like his new nickname.  He sat down and watched the kids play.  Sarah looks up at Keith.

“Do you want to play Princess?”

“Ah... play what?”

* * *

Lance walked around looking for his brother, he texted him but nothing came up.  Lance gave in and decided to call his brother.  No answer.  Lance was going to keep calling, Sam will have many missed calls, spam his phone, make him regret not answering.

Finally someone picked up.

“Lance God damn stop calling me!”

“ _ ¿DÓNDE DEMONIOS ESTÁS?! TENGO TRABAJO ESTA NOCHE, TIENES QUE VER SARAH Y RICO! _ ”  Lance shouts at his brother.  He could hear Sam pull the phone away from his ear.

“ _ GAH NO GRITARLES A MÍ! ¿DÓNDE DEMONIOS ESTÁS AYÚDAME? _ ”  Sam shouts back.

“I’M OUTSIDE LOOKING FOR YOU!”

“Wow you leave our little siblings alone?”

“Keith is watching them, come home now!  I have to go to work!”

“Wait… KEITH?!”

“Yes.”

“ _ ¿Maldita sea, deja ese culo con nuestros hermanos pequeños? Te juro que te golpearon que sólo sé que será! _ ”  

“Sam!”  Lance snaps.  “Come home now!  I cannot keep walking around in the fucking snow trying to find you!”

“How about I don’t come home!”  Sam shouts.  “I want to hang out with my friends.”

“Where are you?!”  Lance snaps.  Sam stayed quiet, though Lance could hear his loud friends.  Sam hung up without saying anything.  Lance sighs and walks towards the spot he was at, Sam’s friends were not the most quiet.

He got to the spot Sam was hiding out at and yelled.

“ _ ¡SAM SI NO CONSIGUES TU CULO AQUÍ AHORA QUE SE CLAVO EN LA CABEZA CON MIS BOTAS DE MIERDA, AHORA LEVÁNTATE AQUÍ DERECHA! ¡AHORA! _ ”  Lance shouts, Sam jumps in fear and stares at his brother.  Sam flips Lance off and stayed in his group.  Well Lance did warn him.

Lance took his boot off and threw it at Sam, hitting him in the head.  Sam held his head in pain, he picks Lance’s boot up and chucks it back at his brother.  Lance caught it and put it back on.

“Now Samuel!”  Lance commands.  Sam growls and got up.  He follows his brother home.

* * *

“ _ ¡Estúpido! ¡Estúpido! ¡Estúpido! _ ”  Lance smacks Sam with every word he said.

“Knock it off, I’m sorry okay?!”

“No you are not!  Get in the damn house!”  Lance pushes his brother in the house, no one was in the living room.  Lance looks around.  “Sarah?  Rico?  Keith?”  He calls for the three.  Lance walks upstairs to look for them, Sam right behind him.

They heard Sarah talking in her and Rico’s room.  Lance opens the door and sees Sarah, Rico, and Keith having a tea party.  They were all dressed up in little acessories, Keith was wearing a plastic tiara.  He looks over at the two, his expression was neutral.

“I didn’t invite you, fuck off.  This is my tea party.”  He said.

“What the hell?!”  Lance asks.  Sam took pictures laughing.  Sarah and Rico giggle.

“This is a royal tea party Lance.”  Sarah said to him.

“Yeah, I’m the princess and this is my tea party.  I didn’t invite peasants.”  He said with a smirk.  Sam began to send the pictures to all his contacts.

“Sam stop it!”  Lance hisses.

“No, this is golden.”

“Get out you filthy peasants.”  Keith threw a stuffed bear at them.  Lance gave him a look.

“Your royal ass is about to be kicked out of my home.”  Lance said.  Keith looks at the two kids.

“He is threatening the princess.  He plans to overthrow me!  Attack!”  He points at Lance, the kids run up and smack Lance, he backs away then ran down the stairs to avoid his siblings tiny fists.  Sam and Keith were the only two upstairs.

“I didn’t invite you either.”

“Didn’t want to be in your gay ass tea party anyways.”  Sam snorts.  Keith just stares Sam down, he picks up the plastic tea cup and puts his pinkie out.  Sam about lost it, Keith takes a sip of juice that Sarah put in the plastic tea pot feeling no shame.

“Oh my God.”  Sam walks off.  He walks in to see his siblings having a pillow fight, Lance trying to fend his siblings off with a pillow.

“BACK!  BACK YOU LITTLE MONSTERS!”  Lance shouts, the two little siblings giggle as they kept hitting Lance with pillows.  Keith walks down and pats Lance’s shoulders.

“Come on, Allura is probably waiting for us.”  He said.  He took the crown off and puts it on Sarah.  Lance threw the pillow at Rico and walks out.  

“Sam you’re in charge.”

“Whatever.”  Sam sat down on the couch and pouts, he was not happy with his brother.  Lance and Keith walk into Keith’s car and drove to the cafe.

“You feel recharged?”

“I guess.”  Keith said.  “Hopefully Allura doesn’t keep me up like last night.”  Lance looks up at the sky, it was snowing again.  “Hey Keith, do you like snow?”

“Huh?”  Keith looks at Lance and smiles.  “Yeah, I rarely got snow it Texas.”  He said.  “Snow is so pretty.  What about you?”

“I use to live in the tropics, what do you think?”  Lance asks, the two chuckled a bit.  “I think it’s pretty.”

“It is, though I can’t stand the cold, snow is fun.”

“Yeah, it is.”  They walk into the cafe with it being almost empty, no one wanted to go out when it was snowing.  The two walk into the kitchen and started cleaning.


	21. Turn On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the longer than usual update, I've been suffering under a writers block and lately I've been tired. Anyways enjoy this chapter.

Lance curled up on his bed in his dark, cold room.  The house looked like shit but at least the heat should work, right?  No of course not, the shitty house has no fucking heat.  Damn that means summer is gonna suck.  He closed his eyes and hoped that his body heat would warm up the blankets faster, that didn’t happen.

He saw a figure walk by, it was dark so he panics.

“GAH!”

“WAH!”  The figure screams.  “Lance don’t do that!”

“Sorry Sam, damn why is the whole upstairs so dark?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well the lights are off so every time I see you walk by I’m like “Satan?”.”  Lance said to his brother.  Sam rolls his eyes, though it was too dark for Lance to see.  Also Lance was kind of blind at the moment.

“You wish it was Satan.”  Sam crawls back on his bunk.  “God it’s so fucking cold outside.”

“Well it is December.”  Lance said.  His eyes shot open.  “Sam it’s December!”

“Yeah I got that.”  Sam said.

“That means Christmas is soon!”  Lance said happily.  Sam pokes his head down and gave Lance a look.

“Lance we have no family here besides us.  We’ll probably hang out here in the morning, go to church and then do nothing for the rest of the day.”  Sam’s words were harsh but true.  Lance pouts at his brother and lays back down.

“Way to kill the mood.”

* * *

Lance woke up the next day and walked downstairs to see everyone else awake.  His mom was at the table eating while the others were doing whatever they wanted.  He went to the kitchen and pulled out his medication.  He popped a pill in his mouth and walked into the living room.

“Morning.”  He said to his mom.

“Morning Lance.”  Isabella waves.  “Do you have a wishlist for Christmas?”  She asks her son.  Lance looks up and thought for a moment.  “No I don’t actually.”

“Oh joy, I hate it when my kids have no ideas for Christmas.”  She looks back down at her food.  Lance chuckles a bit.

“Mamá, it’s okay.  We don’t need anything for Christmas, hell I’ll probably ask for some more facial products.”  He said with a smile.

“Seriously?”  She sighs.  “My son liking skin products.  More feminine than most women out there.”  Isabella continued to eat.  Lance rolls his eyes.

“Whatever Mamá.”  Lance slaps Sam’s head, signaling his brother to come up and get ready.  The two got changed and grabbed their backpacks.  They waved to their family and walked to the bus stop.

Sam and Lance were still on bad terms though the two knew they had to make up.  Siblings don’t stay mad at each other for long, especially in their home.  Usually they make up within a week or so.  For now they were salty towards each other, they’ll make up in due time.

* * *

The two separated at school while Lance messed with his locker.  He felt Pidge hop on his back like usual while Hunk and Keith followed soon after.

“I’ve come to realize I’m the last one here.”  Lance said.  The other three looked at him.

“How did you figure that one out?”  Pidge asks in a sassy tone.

“Don’t make me drop you.”  Lance said as he organized his books.  Lance noticed Hunk and Keith looking at their phones together.  “What are you two doing?”

“Showing him how to use his phone.”

“Jeez, you sweet little baby.  How do you not know how to use your phone?”  Lance asks, Keith looks away with a pout on his face.

“I only used it to call, Allura showed me texting.  Later facetime… but that was it.”  Keith said.  “Hunk is showing me the camera, also this app called tumblr.”

“NO!”  Pidge got down and took Keith’s phone from him.  “Hunk you are evil EVIL!”  She hisses like an animal.  Hunk just stares at his friend like she wasn’t well.

“Pidge… you have a tumblr yourself.”  He points out.

“Yes, and I’m a tainted soul.  DO NOT TAINT THIS ONE!”  She hugs Keith close, the poor guy was honestly confused.  He was now even more curious about the app.  He looks at Pidge.

“What’s a tumblr anyways?”

“It’s a blog app, basically it’s a place where all these freaks go to and post either normal shit, or it’s the trash pool of the internet where it’s nothing but sad kids who want attention.”  She says in an almost evil voice.

“So perfect for Keith?”  Lance asks.

“I hate you.”  Keith made a quick comment.

“He will not get a tumblr, final!”  Pidge kept Keith in her hold.  The boys just stare at her, Pidge seemed crazy, but she was right.  Tumblr is evil.

Lance walked to class without Pidge, she saw her ride walk away from her and ran after him.

“Wait Lance, come back!”  She shouts.

* * *

During lunch the group was messing around.  Pidge had fruit snacks again, she threw them at Lance who was catching them in his mouth again.  Keith and Hunk were watching Lance catching every single one.  Hunk began to film it, anything to put on his blog.  Keith took a fruit snack and threw it at Lance, he caught it.  Keith kind of chuckled and joined Pidge.  

Pidge ran out of fruit snacks, the two sigh in sadness.  Keith and Pidge went back to their lunch while Hunk stopped the video.  Keith looks up at him.

“Why do you film us?”

“For my blog.  My tumblr blog, you know, that thing Pidge wants you to stay away from.  Pidge rolls her eyes and continued to eat.  She rarely went on tumblr anymore, she does not want to involve herself in tumblr drama.

Hunk posts it online.  He looks at the comments on his video blogs.

“You know, everyone talks about you guys.”  Hunk said.  “They think Keith is hot.”

“Hot?”

“Yeah, a lot of people think you’re attractive, Lance gets the same comments too.  Everyone asks what gender Pidge is.”  Hunk said.

“How about you film me stripping, that’ll answer their questions.”  Pidge said in a salty tone.  

“No, I would not do that, nor will I ever do that.”

“I feel no shame.”  She hisses.  

“I know you don't, that’s why your brother is so protective of you.”  Hunk said.  Pidge smiles and got up to put her tray away.  Lance took out his sandwich and watches her leave.  Keith stares at it.

“What’s in that?”

“Roast beef?”

“Can I have a bite?”  Keith asks.  Lance held up his sandwich, Keith took a bite.  Lance saw how big of a bite Keith took.

“Damn, you took a huge bite.”  Lance whines.

“Sorry.”  Keith said.

“Well I shouldn’t be surprised.”  Lance continues, Keith looks at him in confusion.  “Bigger the mouth the better the blow jobs, am I right?”  He flashes finger guns at Keith.  He turned bright red and smacks his friend who was laughing his ass off.

“WHY MUST YOU ALWAYS TEASE ME ABOUT MY SEXUALITY?!”

“Cause it’s funny~”

“I hate you!”  Keith hisses.  “You’re so mean to me!”

“Hey hey, I understand you!  I’m your friend who is always “bi” your side, eh?”  Lance smirks.  Keith just got up and walked away.  “Hey!”

“I disown you.”

“Wait, come back!”  Lance laughs.  Hunk put his face in his hands and groans, he can’t believe he’s friends with this guy.

* * *

Lance sat at home with his little siblings, he saw Sam walk upstairs to avoid everyone.  Lance just thought he was at that phase and left him alone.  He had Sarah cuddling to his side while Rico was eating cereal.  He saw the time and got up.

“Okay I’m going to work.”

“ _¿Tienes que ir, Lance?_ ”  Sarah asks.  He pats his sister’s head.

“Yes sweetie.  I’ll be back home tonight.”  He grabs his jacket and looks back at Sarah.  “If you need anything, Sam is upstairs.”

“Okay.”  She nods.  Lance walks out and walks down to the cafe.  He walks in when the cafe was kind of full.  Lance saw Allura and smiles.

“Hey Allura.”

“Hello, how are you?”

“Pretty good.   _¿Hay nuevo Keith?_ ”

“Um… Keith’s back there if that’s what you’re asking.”  Allura points towards the kitchen.  Lance walks in and sees Keith sitting on the counter reading a new book.  He seemed shocked when Lance walked in.

“Hey…”

“What are you doing?”  Lance asks.

“Reading?  What does it look like?”

“On the counter?”

“Yes.”  He nods.  “It’s been slow tonight, so I’ve been catching up on this.”  Keith held up his book and went back to reading.  Lance sat next to him and tried reading over his shoulder.  Keith turned the page and Lance didn’t finish the first paragraph.  He tried again, same thing, again, and …”

“How can you read so fast?”  Lance asks.  He was shocked that Keith was reading so fast.

“I like reading, it’s like TV in your head.”  Keith said.

“All I see are words on a page, how is this like TV?”

“Imagination.”  Keith said with a smile.  “You can imagine it.”

“Sounds boring.”

“You’re boring.”  Keith huffs and looks away from his so called friend.  Lance chuckles and stares at Keith, he tried ignoring Lance but it was harder than ever now.  “Stop looking at me, it’s really uncomfortable.”

“Uncomfortable?”  Lance got a shit eating grin, he got closer to Keith.  “What about this?  Is this uncomfortable?”

“Stop it.”  Keith growls.  Lance pulls Keith closer, grabbing his waist.  Sweet Jesus he’s gonna die.

“What about this?”

“Let go of me before I stab you.”  Keith whimpers.  Lance about burst into laughter, Keith was so acting so scared and meek.  It was adorable.  “I mean it McClain, let me go!”

“Why?”  Lance asks in a flirtatious voice.  Keith pulls out his pocket knife and points it at Lance.  He still didn’t let go, but if he was being honest he was very afraid right now.  “Keith, buddy… please put the knife away.”

“Let me go.”  Keith hissed.  Lance slowly let Keith go.  Keith sighs with relief and puts the knife away.  Lance smirks and kissed his cheek.

“How about that?  Was that uncomfortable?”  He asks.  Keith fell of the counter, Lance got off and helped him up.  “You okay buddy?  Was that too far?”  Allura peeks in and stares at the two boys in shock.

“Are you guys alright?  I heard something fall!  Did you break something?”

“No, Keith was on the counter-”

“What have I told you about sitting on the counter!”  She scolds, Keith rolls his eyes.  Obviously he’s had this scolding multiple times.

“Well…”  Lance continued.  “Keith fell off the counter.”

“YOU KISSED ME!”  Keith shouts in frustration.  Allura covers her mouth, hiding her giggle.

“ON THE CHEEK!”

“You two.”  Allura snaps.  “If nothing tragic happened then go back to doing whatever it was you were doing, and don’t sit on the counter!”  She points at Keith, he sighs and sat on the floor, Lance sat right next to him.  He glares at Lance and moves away.  Lance follows.

“Leave me alone, you’ve managed to make me so uncomfortable I can’t stand the sight of you.”

“Hey, I’m a beautiful piece of art that few can afford!”  Lance did an over the top pose.  Keith was about to kill him.  He walks out of the kitchen and sat next to Allura.  Lance was left alone, so he decided to bug them from the order window.

“Hi.”

“Hi Lance.”  Allura didn’t look up from her book.

“How’s everything up here?”

“It’s good.”

“Nice, I’m going back into my lair!”

“You do that.”  She said.  Lance slinks back into the kitchen, she looks at Keith.  “What a goof.”

“Yeah, it’s annoying.”

“You just don’t like it when people mess around.  Lighten up, have a sense of humor.”

“I have a sense of humor.”

“Oh darling, don’t kid yourself.”  Allura said in a giggly voice.  Keith went back to his own book and ignored her.  Lance peeked out again and saw the two reading.

“You two are dorks.”

“Says the guy who called the kitchen a “secret lair”.”  Keith said in a monotone voice.  Lance stuck his tongue out and went back in.  The other two look at each other, then back to their books.  Lance looks around the kitchen to find something to do.  He grabs some spoons and tried juggling them, he threw one out the window and hit Allura in the head.

“Gah, Lance?!”

“Sorry.”  Lance said.  The two go back to what they were doing, Lance was bored so he went out and sat next to Keith.  The Korean just stares at him.

“What do you want?”

“I’m bored.”  Lance said.  “You’re my friend so hang out with me.”

“No.  I’m reading.”

“Hang out with me!”  Lance hugs Keith.  “Please hang out with me!”

“L-Let go!”

“No!  Hang out with me, please!”  Lance whines.  “Pretty please!  I won’t embarrass you I promise!”  Lance kept his grip on Keith.  

Keith tried pushing Lance off, it wasn’t working.  Lance was somehow overpowering him, that makes Keith frustrated.  Keith thought he was stronger, apparently not.  He looked at Allura for help, she hid her smile.  Why oh why did he think she’d help?  Lance whines again.

“Please!”

“Stop it!”

“No, I won’t do anything to embarrass or annoy you!”  Lance said.  People were starting to stare.

“You are failing at both as we speak.  Now knock it off!”  Keith pushes him off.  “Lance, people are staring!”

“No love me!”  Lance whines.  “We’re friends!  Be a friend Kogane!”

“I hate you!”

“You do not!”  Lance clung to him.

“Knock it off you freak!”

“ _¡Me encanta a Keith!_ ”

“Speak English!”

“Wah!  Love me!”  Lance would not stop whining.  He practically tackles Keith down and refused to let go.  “You will love me God dammit!”

“Stop it!”  Keith tried pushing him off.  “Allura come on!”  She giggles.

“You two having fun?”  She asks.

“No help me!”  Keith reaches for her.  Lance pulls his arm down and started laughing.  The two wrestle on the ground, the customers watch while Allura ignores them.  They’ll stop at some point.

Keith started to feel uncomfortable, he hated the contact.  But he also liked it?  He couldn’t tell what it was.  He felt warm all over his body, he wanted Lance to let go and not be near him, but him being close made it feel … better?  Was that the word?  

He didn’t know, all he knew was that Lance had to get off of him now!  He wiggled free from Lance’s grasp and clung to Allura.  Lance saw how terrified Keith looked.  

“Ah… S-Sorry…”  Lance got up.  “Hey Allura you don’t need me so I’ll be off.”

“Huh?  Do you wa-”

“I didn’t work, actually from the looks of it I made things worse.”  He said.  “See ya.”  He walks off.  Allura was confused, she looks at Keith who watched him leave.  He felt awful.  What did he do?  Whatever it was, Keith felt like he was at fault again.

* * *

After work Keith faceplants into the couch.

“Just leave me here to die!”

“Keith it was a little teasing, nothing bad.”  Allura said, Keith groans in the cushion of the couch.

“He held me down like I was nothing!  NOTHING!”  He yells, Shiro walked out due to the yelling.  He watches Keith and Allura talk.

“Is that an issue?”  Allura asks.

“I DON’T KNOW HOW TO FEEL ABOUT IT!”

“What’s going on?”  Shiro asks.

“Oh Lance can hold Keith down.”  Allura said.

“And?”

“That’s it.”  Allura and Shiro look back at Keith.  “Are you done?”

“IT MADE MY HEART RACE AND I FEEL HOT ALL OVER AND I’M SO CONFUSED!  WHY AM I SO FLUSTERED?!”

“Oh…”  Allura and Shiro both grew evil smiles.  Shiro spoke up.  “You were turned on bro!”

“Huh?”

“You were sexually turned on!  You liked the contact, don’t worry it happens to everyone.”  Shiro smiles at Keith, trying to make the situation less awkward.  It didn’t make it less awkward.  Keith covered his face and curled in a ball.

“I’M A PERVERT!”

“What?  N-No you’re not!  I just said it happens to everyone!”  Shiro shouts.  “Do you not hear me?!”

“I’M AWFUL!”

“Keith, Shiro is right.  It happens to everyone, Shiro and I have felt like this many times.”  Allura said.  “There is no need to be ashamed of yourself.”

“What do I do about this?”  Keith asks, his big eyes full of need and curiosity.  Shiro looks at Allura and points towards their room.

“I should talk to him about this.”

“Oh whatever Takashi.  Fine I see when I’m unneeded.  I’ll just hang out with Black, he’ll enjoy my company!”  She walks into their room muttering.  Shiro knew Allura could handle these kinds of conversations, however Keith was a young boy and would feel awkward if a woman was around.  Shiro was thinking for Keith’s sake.

“So what do you want to know about this?”

“Why does it feel weird?”  Keith asks.  Shiro buries his head in his hands.  He didn’t know, it just felt awkward and uncomfortable.

“It just does Keith.”

“What do I do about it?  Like what should I do?”

“Well you can take a cold shower, or try sleeping it off.  Or have sex with Lance if you’re up for i-”  He got smacked with a pillow.  Keith was staring at him, face flushed pure red.

“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!”

“Did you really have to hit me?”  Shiro asks.  “I was giving out options and that last one was a joke.  You are not having sex with anyone until you’re eighteen.”

“Wait… you can’t control my sex life!”  Keith shouts.

“The hell I can’t.”  Shiro said.  “None of that shit till you’re an adult.”

“I’m gay!  It’s not like I’m worried about getting someone pregnant!”  Keith points out.  Shiro nods but it wasn’t going to change his mind.  “What the hell Takashi!  You’re nineteen, you’re not a virgin!”

“Yeah, but I’m an adult and have to take care of you.”  Shiro said.  “I’m concerned for my sweet little brother.”  He said in a teasing voice.

“Go to hell.”

“Make me.”

“God dammit Shiro.”  Keith lays on the couch.  “God I feel dirty.”

“Yeah but it’s okay.  This won’t be the first time you’ll feel like this.”  Shiro said.  “When I say everyone goes through this, I mean everyone goes through it.”

“Even you?”  Keith asks.  Shiro broke out laughing.

“Yes, even me.  Even Allura, hell I’m sure Lance has been turned on before.”

“Really?”  Keith asks.  “So I’m not a pervert?”

“Wha-no… no no Keith, you’re being a guy.  Guys like sex way more than girls do, it’s natural to feel turned on by something you like.  Especially if you are a male.”

“Sounds a little stereotypical.”  Keith points out.

“And stereotypes exist for a reason.”  Shiro said.  “Men do like sex Keith, being gay doesn’t exclude you from it.  Also women do feel it, just not as badly as men.”  Shiro said.  “Unless you’re Allura.”  She heard that.

“OH I AM NOT THAT BAD YOU FUCKING ASIAN PRICK!”  Allura threw a pillow out of their room, it hit Keith instead of Shiro.  “FUCK YOU, YOU’RE ON THE COUCH TONIGHT!”

“Yep I fucked up.”  Shiro laughs it off.  “Anyways don’t feel awful okay?”

“Well I feel awful about what happened after he let go.”  Keith admits.  Shiro looks at Keith, waiting for his brother to speak up.  “I broke free and clung to Allura so he wouldn’t make me feel uneasy anymore and he looked sad… I don’t know why.  I made him feel bad I guess.”  Keith looks at his hands.

“Keith I’m sure you just scared him.  He was trying to mess around and tease you and you clinging to Allura must have freaked him out.”  Shiro explained.  Keith buries his face in his hands.

“God I feel awful.”  He walks towards his room.  “Good night Shiro.”

“You gonna sleep it off?”

“Maybe.”  With that Keith walked into his room.  He knew that tonight was going to be a long one.


	22. Love Stories and Shooting Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay okay I need to thank Cthulhuchuu for making some amazing fanart of "Princess Kei Kei" http://cthulhuchuu.tumblr.com/post/161637461553/based-off-a-scene-from-chapter-20-of-hiding-behind  
> Seriously this is so good I cannot believe it XD I legit cried tears of joy I was so happy! Go check it out!

The whole school was excited for winter break, just this week, that they were halfway done with, and then it’s no school till January, the kids could hardly wait.  I mean who wouldn’t be?  No school, Christmas, and New Years?  What could be better than that?  
Lance walks to his locker feeling a little down since what happened at the cafe with Keith, he felt awful.  He creeped him out, he was a complete jerk to him.  He felt the usual leech on his back.

“Hi Pidge.”

“Sup.”  She noticed how down he was.  “What’s wrong?  You seem a little down today.”

“I scared Keith last night and now I feel like the biggest jerk on the planet.”  Lance said.  Pidge wanted to groan and yell out how sick and tired she was of those two.  She just wanted them to get together and make out already, but that wasn’t going to happen.  Keith was too scared and Lance didn’t know jack shit.

“Then apologize or something.”  She said.  Lance looks at her with a confused look.

“I-I will but are you okay?  You sound frustrated.”

“You two make me want to kill myself!”  Pidge got off of Lance’s back and pushes him.  Hunk and Keith walk in and saw Pidge pushing Lance.  Hunk spoke up.

“Uh… any reason for this violence?”  He asks.  “Cause I don’t think this is how we should spend our last week of school this year like this.”  Hunk tried making peace, it wasn’t working.  “Keith can you help?”  Hunk asks.  Lance looked up quickly and locked eyes with Keith, the Korean looks away and walks off.  Lance pushed the evil Pigeon off and walks towards Keith.

He finally caught up to him and grabs his shoulder.  Keith flinches, Lance immediately lets go.

“Um… Keith… about last night… I’m sorry.”

“Huh?”  Keith just stares at Lance, he didn’t know what to say.  He looks down and kicks at the floor.  “I-I don’t know why you’re apologizing.”

“Cause I scared you, duh!”

“You didn’t scare me.”  Keith confesses.

“Oh bullshit!  You clung to Allura like your life was in danger!  Of course I scared you, why else would you run from me and hide like that?”  Lance asks, Keith did not want to tell him why.  He was hoping Lance would drop the topic.  “Well?  I kind of want an answer.”  Shit.

“Um… I-It’s nothing.”

“Again, I call bullshit!  What was the problem?”

“I’m sorry I made you feel bad, it’s my fault anyways.”

“Oh don’t start this!”  He said.  “Tell me now, why did you backed off?”  Lance wanted an answer.  Keith was screwed.  If he told Lance, he’d be creeped out and hate Keith.  If Keith didn’t tell him, he’d be annoyed.  Poor boy didn’t know what to do.

“Keith just tell me.  I felt really bad and I thought I scared the crap out of you.  I felt like I was roughhousing and I went too far and I-”

“IT TURNED ME ON OKAY?!”  Keith shouts.  He just wanted Lance to shut up and leave him alone.  Lance stood their speechless.

“W-Wha-?”  Before Lance could say anything Keith stormed off, he was upset and completely embarrassed.  That’s it, Lance would hate him now.  He fucked up in front of his crush, life was meaningless now.

“KOGANE!”  Pidge ran after him wanting an explanation.  Hunk walked up to Lance and stared at his friends face.

“Uh dude?  You okay?”  He asked.  Lance covered his face, he was bright red.

“ _ Dios mío! ¡Él era encendido debido a mí! Hice Keith cachonda y yo no sabía! Me siento terrible, él probablemente nunca sentí eso antes! Me siento como un mierda amigo, ahora mismo estoy demasiado avergonzada para enfrentarse a él. Oh mierda en mal estado, seriamente desordenado! No creo que Keith sería en ese tipo de contacto! ¡Él es el alfa Dios maldita sea! ¡No sé qué hacer! _ ”  Lance whines, God he felt awkward.  Hunk just stares at Lance waiting for him to go back into English mode.

Hunk looks over at Pidge who clung to Keith’s back, he was trying to get her off.  Hunk felt like the only sane one in his group like always.  He took Lance who was still speaking Spanish and dragged him to his first hour class.

* * *

During reading Lance confronts Keith about the whole… issue.  He sat down next to him and looks at Keith.  Keith didn’t look at him, he knew Lance hated him and thought he was weird and creepy and a total pervert.  No need to be reminded.

Lance grabs Keith’s hand and began to speak.

“ _ ¡Lo siento! ¡Yo soy Keith lo siento! No quiero hacerte cachonda, que no sabía que iba a suceder! Me siento como un idiota para molestando te acerca diciéndome, puedo ver por qué no quieres decirme! ¿Puedo lo siento amigo, puede usted perdonarme? _ ”

Keith’s head was spinning.  He was so confused, mostly because Lance was speaking in Spanish again.  Like usual Keith had no idea what the fuck he was saying.  Lance shook Keith a little.

“Please tell me you forgive me!”

“What are you talking about?!”  Keith asks in a cold tone.  “I have no idea what the fuck you’re saying!”

“O-Oh… right.”  Lance turned bright red, he broke out of his Spanish mode… maybe he should check in with his first two classes just in case.  When he goes into his Spanish mode he tends to write it as well.

“I… I was apologizing.  I shouldn’t have pushed you into saying that… I feel like a jerk.”  Lance said in English.  “Do you forgive me?”  Keith stares at Lance, he was shocked… Lance didn’t hate him at all.  In fact, it was the complete opposite.  Lance felt at fault, he felt like he was in the wrong.  He wasn’t angry.

“Um… you aren’t mad?”

“Mad?  Why would I be mad?  Not your fault you got… er… turned on.”  Lance said.  “I mean I know I’m a total package and all.”  Okay Keith had to find out what he saw in this guy, cause no way would he be into this.  “But I’m sorry… I don’t want small pure baby to be so confused by the world around him!”

“H-Hey!  That’s not true!”  Keith said in a panic.  “I just… Shut up.”  He pouts and looks away.  “Listen it was a one time thing, don’t let it get to your fucking head!”

“Oh I will never forget this~”  Lance teases.  “The hottie, Keith Kogane, got turned on by me.  I feel like a million bucks.”

“Oh my God, stoooooop!”  Keith whines, he faceplants on his desk, refusing to look up.  Lance only laughs at his friends misery.  Class starts like normal, the two watched the teacher hands out a quiz on Beowulf.

Keith finished the quiz quickly and went back to hiding his face.  Lance was staring at the paper hoping the test would answer itself.  His leg was going a mile a minute.  Keith looks at him and finally held his leg down.

“Calm it Lance.”

“I don’t know the answers!”

“Calm down and think.”  Keith said in a bored tone.  He kept his hand on Lance’s leg and stayed with him till he finished.  The bell rang and Lance’s time was up.  He got most of it done, but he doesn’t know how much was correct.

The two walked out of the classroom, Lance groans and followed Keith down to the cafeteria sadly.

“I didn’t know half of the answers.”  He whines.

“Didn’t you watch the movie?”

“Not really.”  He looks at Keith.  “I was bored and distracted most of the time.”

“What?”  Keith was confused.  “A loud projected movie was playing and something distracted you?!”

“Yeah.”

“What?  What could’ve possibly distracted you?!”  Keith asked.

“I dunno.  Something flies by.  A kid coughing.”  He looks away.  “An attractive guy sitting next to me.”  Keith froze after Lance said that.  The Cuban kept walking, Keith didn’t know what to say.  Lance… Lance was going to be the death of him.

* * *

Pidge held up a bag of M&M’s with a smile.

“Okay Lance, catch!”  She threw an M&M up.  Lance caught it, those two have found their favorite pass time during lunch.  Hunk chuckles as he watches.

“If there is ever a talent show in this school you two should enter and this should be your talent.”  He said.  The two laugh, Pidge threw two up.  Lance caught both of them.  She threw another one, Keith caught it with his hand before Lance could catch it with his mouth.  He glares at his friend.

“ _ ¡Usted perra! _ ”  Lance shouts.  Keith ate the small candy with a smirk.  Lance pushed him lightly, Keith chuckles.  “Jerk.”

The group continued to eat, Pidge and Lance finish off the M&M’s.  As soon as they were done with the tiny candies Pidge spoke up.

“So Keith, have you ever played any other wii games besides Mario Kart?”

“Um… no.”  Keith shook his head.  “I never play games.”

“Because you have a lame life.”  Lance teases.  Keith hit Lance’s arm.  He mouthed ‘ow’ and held his arm, Keith is stronger than he looks though Lance should know that better than anyone.  Keith looks back at Pidge.

“Why do you ask?”

“Cause you are coming to my house and playing some games with me.”  She said.  “You have no choice, you’re coming over and playing.”

“Wait why don’t I get a choice?”

“Have plans?”

“Well…”  Besides helping Allura no, he had no plans.  Plus Lance is working there now so he has nothing to do.  Pidge could read him like a book.

“You know where I live.”  She smirks.  Keith looked at his guy friends and points at her, they shook their heads.  You don’t fight Pidge, she always wins.  Joys of being the only girl in the group.  She’s spoiled.

* * *

Keith walks into the home slowly.  Pidge’s Mom looks over and waves.

“Hello Keith.”

“Hello Colleen.”  Keith said quietly.  “Is Pidge upstairs.”

“Kay.”  He walks upstairs and sees her playing her playstation.  She pauses her game and waves him over.

“Come on Kogane.”  She pats a spot next to her bed and smiles.  He walks over to the bed and sat next to her.  He folded his legs and watched her play.  It was the same rhythm game Lance tried.  She hands Keith the controller.  He tried playing.

He failed miserably.  He slowly looked at Pidge, she giggles.  

“I made you play extreme.”  She said between her smirk.  He smacks her head.  “Ow.”  Pidge held her head.  “Okay play a song you like.”

Keith looks through all the songs.  He didn’t hate them but he didn’t like them.  Mostly because he didn’t understand them.  He’d rather hear something he understood, either English which is his first language, or Korean.  He picks a song and it started playing.

“Solitary Envy?”  She asks.  “Damn you’re emo.”

“I don’t know the song.”  He started to play.  He heard how sad the singer sounded.  He 

felt a little bad, she sounded like she was in pain.  The song ended and Keith got a decent score.  He looks at Pidge wanting to know what the song was about.  He points at the screen.

“What?”  She asks.  He kept pointing.  “I can’t read your mind Keith, what do you want?  Use your big boy words.”  She teases him for his lack of talking.

“You know, that!  What was that about?”

“One, why didn’t you just say so?  And two, isn’t Shiro Japanese, didn’t he teach you any Japanese at all?”  She asks.  Keith shrugs, he doesn’t know Japanese and he doubts Shiro knows any.  If he did, he never heard it.  “Okay whatever, the song is about a girl who is ignored by her parents.  That’s the gist of it.”

Keith looks back at the screen.  That’s horrible, a girl with no one to care about her.  He knows how that feels.  No one to care about him, to comfort him.  It wasn’t till he was adopted he felt that again.

Colleen walks in and watches her daughter hang out with her friend.  She was holding a plate full of food.

“Katie?”  She calls.  Pidge looks over at her mom.

“Yeah Mother?”  She asks.  Colleen puts a plate of food down, nothing but cookies.  “Sweet!”  Pidge took a cookie and hands it to Keith.  She took another one.

“I was wondering something Katie.”  Colleen started.  “Now I know you’ve heard this before, but do you have any friends who are girls?”

“No.”  Pidge didn’t bat an eye.  Her mom gave her a worried look.  “Why do you keep asking?”  She looks at her mom wanting an answer.

“Well… you have so many guy friends it’s … it worries me.”  She said.  “I-I mean I know your friends are good friends and all but… but I don’t want people to call you horrible things for having only male friends.”  Pidge didn’t even look offended.

“Don’t worry Mother.”  She hugs Keith.  “My bff Keith here is gay.  So it’s fine.”  Pidge said calmly.  Keith shot Pidge a look.  Yeah way to tell yet another soul that he was gay, let the whole fucking world know.  “And heeee has a crush on Lance~”  She teases.

Keith tackled her down in embarrassment.

“I WILL KILL YOU HOLT!”  He shouts.  Colleen laughs.

“Well Lance is a handsome young man, I was surprised Katie made friends with someone like that.  He looks like he’s an athlete.”

“Pffft!”  Pidge started.  “I bet Lance is the weakest man in our group!”

“He can hold me down.”  Keith said, still embarrassed about it.  Pidge wiggles her eyebrows at him.  “Oh my Go- BACK OFF!  Little pervert.”  He pushes her away and pouts.  Pidge was laughing so hard at that.  She loved embarrassing Keith about this.

Colleen giggles about it too.

“Her and Matt, I swear.  You both love teasing your best friends about crushes and stuff.”  She said.  Keith looked up at her.

“Wait Matt did this too?”  He asked.  Colleen nods.

“Oh yes, he did this to Takashi all the time.”  She said with a happy look.  “One time Takashi chased him with a wooden spoon yelling ‘GOD DAMMIT MATT I WILL SKIN YOU ALIVE!’ and Matt ran around laughing… until Takashi caught him.  Then there was screaming.”  Colleen seemed to calm about that memory.  Pidge shot up.

“You know… Shiro is a good guy.  I wondered why he never got with anyone in High School.”  She said.  “How old is he now, like twenty or so?”

“He’s four.”  Keith said.

“What?  Keith I’m not buying that.”  Pidge snaps.  “The man is older than you!”  Keith pulls out his phone and calculated something.

“Technically he’s four point seven five years old.”

“Four point… Huh?”  She looks at his phone.  Colleen laughs.

“Katie sweetie.”  She got her daughter’s attention.  “Takashi was born on February twenty ninth.  A leap year.”  She said.

“Ooooh, ya could’ve told me that!”  She kicks Keith.

“Nah I like telling people he’s four, it’s funnier.”  He said with a smile.

“Anyways… back on topic.  Why didn’t Shiro go out with anyone?  Is he still single?”  Pidge asks.

“Why must you invade other people’s love life?”

“Cause it’s a hobby.”  She said with a bored tone.  Colleen coughs.

“How about we go back to the original conversation.”  She said.  Pidge groans and stares at her Mother.  Colleen sighs.  “Katie you know we love you but your Father and I want you to have at least one female friend in your life.  Certain things are meant for girls ears only, not boys… no offense Keith.”

“None taken.”

“If you can’t make friends your age then at least someone whose is your gender.”  She whines.  “I really want you to make a female friend.”

“Mother, why would you care?”  She asks.  Colleen looks at her daughter in shock.  Pidge got up and stared at her mom sadly.  “You never accepted me!”

“Katie that isn’t true!”

“No it is!  I know I’m not a girly girl and I like boyish things.  But I can’t connect with girls, I just can’t!”  She shouts.  “They talk about stupid things, they worry over little things like “cute” things, boy bands, and their weight!  I don’t care about that!”

“I know Ka-”

“I’m fine with my life!  So what if I have friends who are guys?!  I think of them as my friends!  I already have a crush on someone anyways, you know this!”  She stops remembering Keith was literally two feet from her.  Pidge sighs and looks down.  “I-I’m sorry Mom.”

“No it’s alright… I’ll just… leave.”  Colleen excused herself.  As soon as she was out Pidge looked at Keith.

“I’m sorry you had to see that, common conversation around here.”

“It’s fine.”  Keith said.  “So who’s the guy you like?”

“Guy?”

“Your crush?”

“Oh… him…”  Pidge looks down, her face was tinted pink.  “W-Well he’s in one of my AP classes.  He’s always nice to me and wanting to work with me, even if I’m struggling.  He’s just… really nice.”

“That’s it?”

“Yeah.”  Pidge nods.  Keith raises an eyebrow.  “Okay I also think he’s cute.”  She pushes him.  “Ya happy?”

“Quite.”

“I’m not telling you the name.”

“Dammit.”  Keith pouts.  “You know my crushes name.”

“I’ve been friends with your crush longer than you.”  Pidge points out.  Keith looks at his friend pouting.  He grabs the controller and plays another song.  Pidge laid next to him and watches him play.  He had almost zero rhythm, but besides that he did decently.

After he watched Pidge play GTA he kept looking at her, she was still upset about what her mom had said to her and the fight.  Keith thought for a moment… he smirks and took the controller from her.

“Hey I’m trying to cause this glitch here!”  She hisses.  Keith shook his head and got up, Pidge raised an eyebrow and turned off her PS4.  “What are you planning Kogane.”  He put the controller down and grabs her arm.

The two ran out of the house and into Keith’s car.  They drove around town for a minute before Pidge asked.

“Keith why did you kidnap me and where the hell are we going?”  She asks.  Keith smiles at her.

“Well I want you to meet someone.”  He said.  She pouts and looks down.  She wants to be back in her safe little room and play videogames.  At least she has her phone.  She began to play her game while Keith drove.  They got to their destination quickly.

Keith pulls Pidge out and points at the cafe.  She gave him a look.

“I’m not that big on cafes Keith, too social.”

“I know.”  Keith walks in, still holding Pidge’s arm.  The place was practically empty to Keith’s surprise and waves at Allura.  “Hey Allura!”  She looks up from her book.

“Oh Keith, what are you doing here?”  Allura asks.  She notices the small one Keith was holding.  “Is this your friend Pidge?”  She asks with a smile.  Pidge looked at Allura with a shocked face.

“Keith… who is this beautiful woman standing before me?”  She asks.  “How does she know me?  How do you know her?”  Allura giggles and got up, she walks towards the two with a warm smile.

“I’m Allura, Keith’s soon to be sister.  Would you like something to drink Pidge?”  She asks, Pidge gave a confused look.

“Soon to be?”  She asks.

“Ah yes, I’m his brother’s girlfriend.”  Allura said.  Pidge’s eyes grew wide.

“You… You’re dating Shiro?!”  She asks.  Allura nods.

“Yes I have been for a while now.”

“Wait wait wait WAIT!  How long?!”  She asks, Allura thought about it.  As Allura thought Lance ran out and hugged the two, Allura didn’t even look at Lance when that happened.

“HEYO!”  He shouts.

“Hi Lance.”  Pidge said.  “Wait, what the fuck man, what are you doing here?”

“I work here.”  Lance said with a smile.  Allura claps getting all three teens attention.

“Ah I remember, it was after the accident I first met him!”  She said.  “Does that answer your question?”

“Not at all.”  Pidge shook her head.  “I want the whole story!”

“Yay story!”  Lance shouts.  Allura gave Lance a look.

“Remind me how old you are again?”

“Come on Allura!  I wanna hear this story!  Also fuck you, you’re only one year older than me!”  Lance shouts.

“Not for much longer, brat.”  She points out.  “Do you want to hear it?”

“Yes!”  Pidge shouts.  “Please, please, please!”  She begs.  Allura sighs and walks towards one of the tables.  The three watch her sit down and look at them.

“So?  Come over here and sit down if you want to hear it.”  She said.  The two who didn’t know the story run up and sat at the table, holding their heads and waited patiently.  Keith walks over and sat next to Lance, he knew how they met.  “Soooo the one who you should thank for putting us together is that little angel right there.”

She points at Keith and smiles.  Lance and Pidge gave Keith a surprised face, Keith only stares at them with his usual neutral look.  He looks back at Allura and gave her a sweet smile, he rests his hands on his head and bats his eyes sweetly.

“And I regret it to this day~”  He said in a sweet voice.

“Little shit.”  She flicks his head, he growls at her and backs away.  “Anyways so I met Shiro when he was at the hospital.  I was visiting my Mother who was going through treatment after a heart attack.  While my Father was talking to her in private I was walking outside, trying to clear my head.  While I was walking I saw Shiro and Keith walking by.  Shiro didn’t have his arm at the time.”

“Oh yeah.”  Keith nods.  “They were making his, so he didn’t have an arm for a while.”  Keith said.  Allura nods and continues.

“Yes, so I waved at them.  You didn’t wave but I could tell Shiro was trying to.  Little nub trying to wave, cause he’s a righty.”  She said.  “So I continued with my walk.  I went back inside and stayed in the lounge and went on my laptop.  Shiro came later that day and so we talked for a while.”

“I had to admit he was cute.”  She smiles as she remembers meeting Shiro.  Pidge and Lance were jealous, they wanted a love story like this.  Allura sighs and continues.  “So after that I went back to my parents, Mother teased me about him.  So the next few days we’d see each other and talk to each other for a bit.  I learned how childish like he was, how kind and caring he was… and I learned about his parents… and how he lost his arm.”  She looks at Keith, he wasn’t looking at her.

“A-Anyways I hadn’t seen them since Mother was cured and I started the business while my parents moved somewhere where Mother could relax.  I stayed here and worked on the cafe.  A month passed and Keith came in trying to relax.”  She smiles at him.  “And Keith recognized me, he said ‘Aren’t you that lady my brother wouldn’t stop talking to?  You know, from the hospital?’ and I said ‘Yes, I remember you.  Your name is Keith, correct?’ so we talked for a bit.”

“He said that his brother missed talking to me after I left, I had to admit I was embarrassed.  Keith left after that, but the next day Shiro came in.  Keith apparently told him that I was here.  So he met me everyday after that, then he asked me out.  Well we’ve been together ever since.”  She sighs.  “The end.”

Both Lance and Pidge aw at the story.  Keith remained neutral, he didn’t think it was that romantic.

“I want a love story that sweet!”  Lance whines.  Keith just stares at him.

“Really?  You want to meet someone in a hospital?”

“Well no, that’s their story.  I want something just as sweet though.”  Lance said.  Allura goggles thinking Lance was being adorable.

“Lance, no matter how you meet your partner you’ll think it’s the most romantic thing ever.  I never thought I’d meet someone in a hospital missing one arm.”  She said.  Lance nods happily, Pidge and Keith just give Lance a look.  They thought he was pathetic.

“Well why did you bring Pidge in today?”  Allura asks, Keith remembers why he brought his small friend.

“Oh yeah, Pidge’s Mom wants her to make some friends who are girls.  However Pidge isn’t a girly girl sooooo you be her friend!”  He pushed Pidge towards Allura.  The two girls stare at each other.  Pidge thought about what to say.

“Do you like video games?”

“Yes?”  Allura nods.

“What kinds?”

“Depends.  I don’t have any of my old consoles at the apartment now.  They’re at my old house.”  She said.  “I played 64 and well PS2 growing up.”

“Do you know um…”  Pidge looks at her trying not to embarrass herself.  “Vocaloid?”

“Vocaloid?”  Allura asks.  Pidge nods.  Allura pulls her phone out and went on YouTube.  She shows Pidge her music playlist.  Pidge’s eyes lit up.

“You like them?  What about anime?”

“I have a small collection at home.  I could let you come over and see it.”

“Oh my God!”  Pidge hugs Allura happily.  “You are a nerd!  A big nerd like me!”  She squeals.  Allura picks Pidge up and swings her around, Pidge began to scream.  “WAH A REALLY STRONG NERD!”

“Ha ha ha~”  Allura laughs.  Keith and Lance watch the two girls bond.  Colleen should be happy now, now that Pidge has found a female friend.

“Pidge, whenever you’re ready I have to take you home.”  Keith said.

“Give me a minute!”  She shouts in her dizzy state.  The two boys laugh as Pidge suffered.  Lance got up and walked out.

“See you tomorrow everyone.”  He calls, everyone waved bye.

* * *

Lance walks home and saw Sam wasn’t there again.  He sighs and looks at Sarah and Rico who were asleep on the couch.  He threw a blanket on his baby siblings and smiles.  They were so cute.  He stayed awake to wait for Sam, that didn’t last since Lance passed out before his younger brother got home.

* * *

The last day before break came around, Lance walks into the school and felt Pidge climb him.  He was so use to her now.  Everyone else came by, Hunk looked tired while Keith looked excited.  Lance noticed him and had to ask.

“Why are you so happy?”

“Oh God he won’t shut up about it.”  Hunk said.  He noticed Keith froze up.  “Well aren’t you gonna tell Lance what you’ve been telling me?”

“Uh… I’ll tell you later.”  Keith said shyly.  Hunk groans.

“Whatever, I don’t care anymore.”  He said.  “So how’s everyone else’s morning?”

“Boring.”  Lance said.  “I haven’t seen Sam recently… I’m kind of worried.”

“He’ll be fine.”  Pidge said.  Lance looks at his tiny friend.

“I hope you’re right.”  Lance said.  The two walked to class, Keith looks at Hunk and his smile came back.

“Oh God no… COME BACK!”

* * *

“So what is it?”  Lance asks during literacy, Keith held his phone close and smiled.

“Well… would you like to hang out tonight?  I mean I want to show you something cool!”  Keith said happily.  “Come on I know you’ll love it.”

“What is it?”

“I want it to be a surprise!”  Keith said.  “So… if you want to…”

“You got me curious, so sure I’ll go.”  Lance smirks.  “But don’t blame me if I turn you on again~”

“Trust me, you won’t.”  Keith smirks back.  “I’m not into cornchips.”

“I’m not a cornchip!”  Lance shouts in defense.  Keith laughs and waits for class to start.

* * *

After school Lance went with Keith to where ever he wanted to go.  Lance was calm till he noticed it getting dark, he didn’t notice how quickly time was passing.  He looked at the sky growing darker, stars began to show.

“Uh buddy?  Where are we going?  It’s getting awfully late.”

“I know.”

“So where are you taking me?”

“Here.”  Keith drove onto a hillside and parked on a cliff.

“What the hell is this?”  Lance asked.  Keith got out and stared at Lance.

“Come on, you’ll miss it if you stay in there!”  Keith was acting like a small child.  Lance rolls his eyes and got out.  He saw Keith crawl on the roof of his car, Lance followed and sat uncomfortably.  Keith smiles and lays back, Lance copied.

“Soooo what is it?”

“Just watch!”  Keith said.  Lance waited, he got bored of stargazing.

“Keith buddy I don’t know what you want to show me bu-”

“LOOK!”  Keith points happily.  Lance looks up and his eyes grew wide.  Multiple stars shot through the sky.  Lance was mesmerized, it was incredible.  Keith was staring at it happily.  “Isn’t it pretty?”

“Yeah.  Was this it, what you wanted to show me?”

“Uh huh!”  Keith nods.  “D-Do you like it?”

“Yeah.”  Lance nods.  “I do, it’s beautiful.”  Lance and Keith kept watching the stars shoot by.  Lance smiles at Keith.  “Did you make a wish?”

“Huh?”

“You wish on shooting stars.”  Lance said.  Keith thought about it.

“You go first.”

“To have a love story like Shiro and Allura’s.”  Lance said.

“Lame wish.”  Keith smirks.  “I wish…”  He thought.  “To get better.”

“Better?  Like in what way?”

“You don’t need to know.”  Keith said with a smile.  He kept watching the sky.  Lance looks at Keith, his violet eyes practically glowed in the night.  They looked like stars themselves, Lance couldn’t help but smile at Keith.  He was gorgeous.  “Isn’t this mesmerizing?”  Keith asks.

“Yeah.”  Lance nods.  “It really is.”  Keith noticed Lance was smiling right at him.  His heart began to race, his face flushed.  Keith smiled right back at him.  He thought of another wish, to someday tell Lance the truth.  Though he knew that wish may never come true, it was a nice thought.


	23. Abuela Rosa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: A lot of Spanish. I am not sorry.

Winter break started and it was a great time to be alive.  The McClain kids woke up early and played outside in the snow.  Their mom watches them all play in the snow like idiots.

“You all don’t wake up this early for school, but you’ll wake up to play in the snow?”  She asks.  “Little shits.”  They all giggle at their mom and went back to playing.

The snowplow came by again, the kids screamed when they saw a massive amount of snow rush by.  They hid under their mom’s rental car and wait for it to pass.  They crawled out moments later and saw all the snow that was in their lawn and again blocking their driveway.  Sarah and Rico started to roll snow off the driveway.  Lance and Sam join moments later, trying to clear the snow for their mom.

“Why does it keep blocking our driveway?”  Sam asks.  Lance shrugs and kept rolling the snow into a decent sized snowball.

“Maybe they just don’t care.”  Lance said.  “Also we have a shitty driveway.  I mean I don’t think it’s a driveway.”  Lance points out, Sam looks at it and agrees with his older brother.

“ _Tenemos una puta mancha de suciedad._ ”  Sam said.

“ _Sí, eso es lo que es. Una mancha de suciedad._ ”  Lance nods, Sarah sat on the snowball she made listening to her brothers.

“I don’t think it’s that bad.”  She starts.  “I like this place just the way it is.”

“We don’t hate the house Sarah.”  Lance starts.  “It’s just that the driveway is a dirt patch.  Not a driveway.”

“Like what Abuela has?”  She asks.  Lance and Sam nod.

“Yeah Abuela has a driveway.  Despite her home being tiny.”  Lance said, his face lit up and looked at Sam.  “Oh remember going to visit her everyday?”  He asks.  Sam looks at his brother and smiles.

“Oh yeah of course.  You, Antonio, Rebecca and I always went to see her.  She’d watch us as we played on the beach.  Oh she was so mad the day you and Rebecca snuck out and played during a thunderstorm.”

“Hey in our defence we played on the sand.”  Lance said.

“Oh God I remember her yelling.”  Sam smirks.  “ _Rebecca y Lance, si sabes lo que es bueno para usted, conseguir a tus botas lo siento en esta casa ahora o yo estoy llamando a tu Mamá! ¿Estoy haciendo mi claro?_ ”  He mimics their Abuela, Lance laughs at the memory.

“Oh yeah and Rebecca kept shouting: _¡No llame a Mamá abuela!_ ”  The two laugh.  “Oh Mamá was pissed off.  She told us to run and threw shoes at us.”  Lance thought about that.  “Do you suppose she made that game for her amusement?”

“Definitely.”  Sam nods.  Sarah and Rico look at their brothers.

“Lances, Sam.”  Rico got their attention.  “Where do Abuela live?”

“Oh she lives in Cuba still.”  Lance said.  “That’s where you’re from.”  He pokes Rico’s nose, the boy giggles happily and fell over in the snow.  He sat up and looks at his older brother with curiosity.

“I am?”

“Yeah, we moved to America after you were born.”  Lance said.  “It was fun but damn we were some of the whitest kids there.”  Lance laughs with his siblings.

“Can’t help that Mamá’s white, just like Abuelo.”  Sam said.

“The white lady who lived in Cuba.”  Lance chuckles.

“Are we going to see Abuela this year?”  Sarah asks hoping they would.

“I dunno.”  Lance said.  “Maybe not, she lives in Cuba, that’s far away.  Lance said.

“So?  We came from Cuba.”  Sam said.  “She loves us dearly.”  All the kids nod.  “Besides we can still talk over the phone with her.”

“Yeah I guess.”  Lance walks back inside.  “It’s cold so I’m going in.”

“Wait for me!”  Sarah held Rico’s hand and ran after Lance, Sam follows behind his little siblings.  The kids took off all their snow clothes and walked into the living room.  The three sat in the living room playing video games, their mom sat with them and watched the kids played games.

“Plug in another controller.”  Isabella said.  The kids hand her a controller.  They played Mario Party.

“Mamá you’re cheating!”  Sam shouts.  The others laugh at Sam, he pouts as they play.  “Stop, you all are gaining on me- _¡Basta!_ ”  He was getting frustrated.

“Make me.”  Isabella laughs.  The kids were surprised their mom was kicking their ass at a video game.  “ _Pensé que los niños fueron la generación que no se puede colocar un regulador. ¿Explicarme cómo estoy pateando todo de sus botas en el momento?_ ”  She mocks her kids.

“I think you’re cheating Mamá.”  Lance said.  Isabella stuck her tongue out and continued to play.  The kids were frustrated at their mom.

* * *

“Okay Sam I’ll be back soon.”  Lance shouts.  “You’re in charge.”  Sam held his thumbs up.  Lance smiles and left the house.  He walks the cold streets of Altea, he quickly got to the cafe and rushes in.  Lance rushes in and lets out a loud sigh, damn it was cold out.  The warm cafe was total bliss.  Allura looks at Lance and waves him over.

“Hello Lance, glad you’re here.  I’ve been busy and Keith isn’t here yet.”  She said.  “Go work in the kitchen and help out with the drinks.”

“Okay.”  Lance took his coat off and walked into the kitchen.  Since there was nothing to do he just sat in the kitchen and messed around.  He was playing speed stack with the random cups.  After getting a record time for slowest speed stack he put them away and looked at Allura.

“I’m bored back here!”  Lance shouts.  “Allura amuse me!”  He whines.  She does some over the top pose, Lance smiles.  “Thank you.”

Keith walked in when Allura was done posing, he gave her a look that screamed ‘silently judging you’.  She laughs and went back to reading.  Keith went into the kitchen to see Lance counting spoons.

“Okay what are you doing?”

“Keith!  My buddy!”  He ran towards Keith and hugs him.  “I’m so bored!”  
“I can tell, you’re counting spoons.”  Keith said pointing at all the spoons.  Lance went to the pile of silverware and put it away.  He sat on the counter and watched Keith put his coat away, which they threw their coats on a random chair that was in there.  “So what are your plans for Christmas?”

“The cafe will be closed on Christmas so I guess I’ll just sit around with Shiro and Allura all day.  What are you doing?”

“This is the first Christmas without Jesús and Antonio… and Rebecca...  So I don’t know what we’re doing.”  Lance said.  He thought about what to do for Christmas.

“Don’t you have other family members?”

“In Cuba.”  Lance said.  “The rest of _mi familia_ lives in Cuba, we’re the only ones in America.”  Lance looks at Keith.  “What about you?”

“I dunno.”  Keith walks up to the ordering window and peaks at Allura.  “Hey Allura, what’s our plans for Christmas?”  He asks.  She looks up from her book and stares at Keith, she thought for a moment.

“Um… well we’re going to my Father’s home for Christmas dinner, he want’s to meet you and Shiro.  So there’s that.  Then that’s it.”  She said.  Keith’s eyes grew.

“D-Do I have to go?”

“You are not staying here, he want’s to meet you.”  Allura said.

“I don’t wanna meet your Dad!  Alfor sounds all stuck up!”  He whines, Lance tried to muffle his laughter.

“Not another word, you are almost eighteen, act like it.”  She snaps and went back to reading.  Keith got down and groans.  “I can still hear you Kogane.”

“Bite me!”  He shouts.  Lance lost it, he fell off the counter and tried to recover.  Keith stared at the boy confused.  He waits for Lance to speak up.

“Come on Keith, he’s gonna be family.  You might like him.”  Lance said as he stood up recovering.

“Yeah right.”  Keith huffs, then he had an idea.  He looks up at Lance.  “Can you come with me?”

“No I can’t.”

“Please?  Oh please oh please come with me!”  He begs.  “I don’t want to be alone in that house.”  Keith’s eyes resembled a kitten.  Lance shook his head.

“Listen, I need to stay with my family.  I love you man, but you need to face them on your own.”  Lance said.

“No I don’t want to!”  Keith pouts.  Lance pats Keith’s head.

“You’re adorable~”  Lance cooes, Keith lost it and pulled out his switchblade.  No words were said, only chasing and screaming.  “ALLURA HE’S GONNA KILL ME!”  He shouts.  Allura was glad the cafe was empty.

* * *

The next morning Lance was awoken by Sarah.  She was playing with Blue on his bed.  He stares at her.

“My plushie!”  He shouts.  “Give.”  He took it back.

“Why can’t I play with it?  It’s so cute!”  She whines.  He stuck his tongue out and hugged it close.

“Keith gave it to me, it’s mine!”  Wrong choice of words, he looked back and noticed Sarah giving him the signature McClain smirk.

“Princess gave you that?”  She asks.  “Are you and Princess in love?”  Lance felt the heat rise to his face, he shook his head violently.

“N-NO I- WE-WE’RE NOT IN LOVE!”  He denies it.  Sarah laughs at Lance.

“Aw so cute!   _¡Eres Príncipe de Keith!_ ”  Sarah teases her older brother.  Lance got up and threw the plushie at her.

“I’M LEAVING YOU!”  He storms off, she only giggles.

“Bye, “Prince Lance”~”

“GAAAH!”  He shouts after that comment.

He walks into the kitchen and took his medication, after that he sat in the living room.  His mom was on the phone, she seemed surprised but also happy.  Lance turned the TV on and listened to his mom’s conversation.  She was speaking her native language, which surprised Lance.  Most people don’t speak Spanish in their area.

“ _Sí Sí, espero que también. Sí. Está bien, está bien bueno. Sí te amo demasiado. Nos vemos luego. Está bien. Adiós._ ”  Isabella hung up and stares at Lance with a huge smile.  “Lance, guess what!”

“What Mamá?”  He asks.  She ran up to him and giggles.

“ _¡La abuela viene sobre a vernos esta Navidad!_ ”  She said in joy.  Lance shot up.

“Really?”

“Yes!”  Isabella nods.  “She insisted she come up to spend Christmas with us.  Because the divorce and all... and she was devastated when she heard about Rebecca last month…”  Isabella took a deep breath.  “A-Anyways she wants to be here with us!  Go get your siblings, we must clean!   _¡Date prisa! ¡Date prisa!_ ”  Isabella pushes Lance towards the stairs.

“ _¡Bien bien bien! Yeesh sin necesidad de hacer Mamá._ ”  Lance said.  He walks up the stairs and went into Sarah and Rico’s room, Sarah somehow fell back asleep in her bed after he left, she wasn't normal.  He knew just how to wake those two up.  

“Waaaaake UP!”  He tickles both of them.  The two gasped in horror then began to laugh.  They look at their brother with playful eyes.  “Okay you two, Abuela is coming over for Christmas.”

“YAAAAAY!”  The two cheer.

“So Mamá wants us to clean.”

“Awwww.”  They both groan.

“Come on you two, I’m gonna go wake Sam up.  You two start cleaning, that means no playing.  You need to actually clean this room.”  He tells his siblings.  They pout at him.  “I’ll tell Mamá-”  That got them up.  He smirks and went into his room.

“SAMUEL!”  He leaps onto the top bunk and lands on his brother.  A loud uncomfortable groan came from Sam, he lightly pushes his brother.

“ _El hijo de puta._ ”  He curses.  Lance laughs and got off of his brother.

“Come on moron, we have to clean.”  Lance hops down and started picking up all the shit left on the floor.  They were teenage boys so their room was in a horrid state.  Sam flops down, and landed on his side, lucky for him Lance made a habit of putting pillows on the side of the bed for Sam.  

He slowly got up and began to clean with Lance.  He fully woke up and was upset.

“Wait, why the hell are we cleaning?”  He asks.  Lance threw some dirty clothes in a basket and held it up to Sam.  Sam threw some of his clothes.

“Abuela is coming over.”  He said.  “Now keep cleaning.”

“Why is Abuela coming over?”  Sam asks.  “You’re telling me she’s coming all the way from Cuba to see us?”

“I know, exciting right?”  Lance smiles.  He ran downstairs and put the basket in the laundry room.  He walks past Sarah who was carrying a smaller basket in.  She smiles at her brother and ran back up to clean her room.

Lance walks up and made his bed.  Sam flops on his to get his blanket flat on his bed.  Lance looks up at him.

“What are you doing?”

“Making my bed!”  Sam hisses.  Lance laughs at his brother and went back downstairs.  He saw his mom picking up her keys.

“You leaving?”

“Picking up some swiffer cleaner.”  She walks out.  “The upstairs better be clean by the time I get back… also be a dear and sweep… also dust.”  Isabella smiles and blew a kiss at her son.  He sighs and walks to his room.  It was almost spotless.

“Nice _hermano menor_.”  Lance said, Sam smiles feeling proud of himself.  He loved getting praise from his older brother.  “How’s Sarah and Rico?”

“I don’t know.”  Sam shut the closet and looks at the room.  Clean as it can be.  The two boys peek into their siblings room.  Sarah put the last of the toys in the closet while Rico made the bed.  Their table was nice and organized.

“Nice you two.”

“We done?”  Sarah asks.

“Nope.  Now we’re going to sweep and dust the downstairs.  Go go go.”  He walks down, his siblings following him down the stairs.  Lance hands Sam and Rico dusters, he gave Sarah the dustpan.  He took the broom.  “You two in living room, Sarah and I got kitchen.”  Lance commands.  They all nod and walked into the room they were assigned to.

“Lance?”  Sarah starts.  “I want music.”

“Music?”

“ _¡Yes, música!_ ”  Rico said happily.

“I guess.  Hold on, here.”  He hands Sarah the broom and ran upstairs.  He came down and looked at his siblings.  “Suggestions?”

“ _¡Hasta el amanecer!_ ”

“ _¡Gasolina!_ ”

“ _¡Me Está Gustando!_ ”  They kept shouting suggestions.

“How about um… I’m looking through my playlist, hold on.”  Lance was looking through.  “Oh, got one.”  He put his phone down and played “Soy Yo”.  It had to load, so the kids started cleaning while the ad played.  As soon as the song played the kids started to dance a bit.

Lance looked at his sister and shook his hips a little before the lyrics came on.  Sarah giggled, she thought her brother looked goofy.  He danced with the broom and pretended to sing the song.  He stops, Sarah just gave him a confused look.

“ _¡Soy yo!_ ”  He sang and danced around.  The other siblings danced around to the beat.  Lance and Sarah started to sing together.

“ _Sigo caminando sigo reindo._   _Hago lo que quiero y muero en el intento._ ”  They sang.  Sam chuckles and looks at the two.

“We get it you two, you can sing.”  He said.  Lance poses.

“And dance~”  He said in a cool tone, Sam rolls his eyes and continued to work.  They all kept dancing to the song until they heard something break.  Lance paused the video and ran into the living room.  “What broke?!”

Sam and Rico stared at a broken picture frame.  Lance gave them a look.

“Oh nice, you broke Mamá’s family picture.”

“Rico did it!”  Sam blames the two year old.  Rico looks at the broken frame and tried picking up the broken glass with his bare hands.  Lance panics.

“Gah!  Rico no no no!”  Lance ran at his brother and made him drop the glass.  “I’ll clean it up, you go dust over there sweetie.”  Lance picks it up the broken frame and threw the glass away.  Sam puts the picture up.  He stares at it.

“You think she’ll notice?”

“Noooo not at all.”  Lance said sarcastically.  They continued to clean up, as soon as the kitchen was done Sarah had to clean the countertops while Lance did the dishes.  Sam and Rico started to vacuum the carpet in the living room, the floor was mostly wood and was connected to the dining room but they had a big carpet in the middle.

Rico sat on it while Sam pushed it.  He groans and looks at his baby brother.

“Rico that’s dangerous, get off.”

“I wanna ride.”

“Off.   _Bajar, bajar._ ”  Sam motions him to get off.  Rico got off and climbs on Sam’s back.  He let him climb on and continued to vacuum.  The McClain kids got a decent amount of work done before their mom came back.  She in when all her kids sitting on the couch happily.

“Hi Mamá.”  They said in unison.  She didn’t look at them and points as she walked by.

“That’s broken.”  She said in a calm voice.  They all groan and nod.

“Yeah Sam and Rico dusted and it broke.”  Lance said.  The two point at each other and stare at their mom.

“He did it.”  Sam and Rico said at the same time.  She groans and took the picture down.  She puts it away and held up the swiffer.

“Sarah you swiffer.”  She said.  The little girl groans.  “Rico you help me with laundry.  Lance and Sam, clear the driveway.”

“AWWW!”  The two boys groan and went outside.  They shoveled the dirt patch that they call a driveway.  They got done in a half an hour.  They walk in and flop on the couch, Sarah walks back from swiffering the living room, dining room, and kitchen and lays on her brothers.

“I do not want to go to work tonight!”  Lance complains.  “I’m texting Keith saying if he can cover for me.”

“Call Princess.”

“No.”  Lance said.  Sarah pouts.

“I wanna talk to Princess!”  She says.

“Too late, texting him.”  Lance said and texted Keith.  He responds saying ‘Hell no, get your ass to work.’.  Lance groans and flops back down on the couch, taking Sarah with him.  She screams like a cute little mouse.

* * *

Lance walks into the cafe sore and hating life.  He walks into the back and threw his coat at Keith.  He made a noise and glares at the Cuban.

“This place is nearly empty!  I had to shovel my dirt patch driveway and now I’m tired.”  Lance complains.

“You still have to come in and help out, what if it suddenly go busy.”  Keith hisses.

“Yeah right, it won’t get busy.”  Lance’s complaining wouldn’t end.

“Oh quit your bitching.”

“ _No soy putear te tirón de culo gay._ ”  Lance pouts, Keith threw the coat back with power behind it.

“I know you said something about my sexuality again!”  He hisses.  “You know you’re bisexual, you shouldn’t make fun of me for being gay when you yourself would date a guy!”

“But being bisexual means I’d also date girls.  Unlike you.”

“Shut up.  I find men appealing, not women.”  Keith said.

“I like both, makes things less complicated.”

“If ya ask me it makes things more complicated.”  The two sat around the kitchen doing nothing since nobody was there.  It was like that for the rest of the night.  

* * *

Lance returned late and noticed Sam wasn’t in his room.  He gave up on his brother and decided to just let him be an idiot.  He saw Sarah and Rico were passed out, hopefully Sam was kind enough to wait till they fell asleep.

Lance curled up on his bed and fell asleep.

* * *

Lance woke up the next morning and saw Sam in his bed conked out.  At least he was home now.  The older boy got up and walked down the stairs.  He noticed Keith was on the couch asleep, Rico curled up right next to him.  Lance walked past them.

“Not gonna ask.”  He walks into the kitchen and reaches for his medication.  Isabella was making final adjustments to the house before Abuela showed up.  She looks at her son and kisses his head.

“ _Buenos días._ Oh and by the way I sent you a picture of those two.  Thought you might like a picture of your “boyfriend” curled up with your baby brother on the couch.  It’s cute isn’t it?”  She teases.  Lance’s face turned red in an instant.

“God!   _¡No es mi novio Mamá!_ He’s my friend.”

“Uh huh and I’m a happily married woman.”  Isabella said sarcastically.  “I’ve told you, I know a boyfriend when I see one.”

“He’s not my- you know what, nevermind.  Believe what you want, I don’t care anymore.”

“Okay, I believe he’s your boyfriend.”  She smiles.  “You think he wants to meet Abuela?”

“Mamá, he isn’t really my boy- oh God…”  He thought about what she just said.  “Mamá… I haven’t told Abuela.”

“Haven’t told Abuela what?”  Isabella asks.  Lance grabs his head and groans.  It was over, his Abuela would kill him.

“ _¡No dije que era bi! Que yo soy en los hombres, oh va a odiarme! Ella te me golpeó con un zapato y dicen ' pervert! ¡Idiota! Sucio chico estás lanza ' y te lloro lágrimas saladas grandes tratando de disculparse! ¡No quiero que la abuela para odiarme! Tengo que despertar a Keith y patearlo hacia fuera antes de que ella lo ve y lo llama mi novio!_ ”  He cries.  Isabella gave him a look.

“ _¿No dijiste a abuela que usted es un amante del muchacho?_ ”  She asks.

“No I haven’t!   _¡Ella va a odiarme Mamá!_ ”  Lance whines.  Keith walked up holding Rico giving Lance and Isabella a sleepy yet annoyed look.

“What are you freaking out about now?”  He asks with a yawn.  Lance tried to make light of the situation.

“Ah I’m not freaking out!”

“You go into Spanish mode when you panic.”  Keith points out.  He hands Isabella Rico and stares at Lance.  The Cuban groans.

“I do not go into Spanish mode when I panic!”  Lance panics.  Keith raises an eyebrow, that annoyed Lance.  “Do not give me that look!”  Keith folds his arms across his chest, still giving him “the look”.

“I said stop it!”

“No, you’re freaking me out and it woke me up.”  Keith said.

“I don’t care, this isn’t even your house!”

“You’re always welcomed here _mi hijo._ ”  Isabella chimes in.  Lance gave his mom a look that said ‘do not get involved’ and went back to arguing with his friend.

“Listen, Christmas Eve is in two days.  Aren’t you suppose to pack up and meet Allura’s family?”

“I’m hiding out here so I don’t have to go.”

“YOU CANNOT HIDE AT MY HOUSE!”

“I already am though.”  Keith said.  “Can I borrow your clothes?”  He asks.

“Wha- NO!”  Lance shouts, he took of his glasses and rubs his face.  He was done with everyone and everything.  Sarah walks down in a zombie state, she immediately woke up when she saw Keith.

“Princess!”  She runs up and hugs him.  Keith chuckles and hugs her back, lifting the girl in his arms.

“Hi sweetie!”  Keith kisses her cheek.  “How are you?”

“I’m good!”  She says.  Keith puts Sarah down and follows her to the living room.

“You can’t walk away from thi- Keith get back here!”  Lance shouts.  He heard the TV turn on and the volume go up.

“I-I’m sorry what?  I can’t- I can’t hear you over the TV!”  Keith said in a playful tone.  Lance wanted to kill him so badly right now.  He decided to help his mom with the final touches.  He decided to not tell his Abuela anything.

After all that a powerful knock came at the door.  Isabella runs to the door happily.  She opens it to reveal a smaller woman at the door.  Her hair was greyish, her skin tan, and her body was chubby like Isabella’s.

“ _¡Mamá!_ ”  She hugs the little old lady.  “ _¿Cómo estás? ¡Yo he perdido mucho!_ ”  Isabella cries.

“ _Mi dulce hija, ¿cómo estás?_ ”  She hugs her daughter back.  “ _¡Yo he perdido mucho desde que se mudó a los Estados Unidos, espero que estés siendo tratado bien mi niña!_ ”  The old lady notices her grandkids and opened her arms up.  “ _¿Qué tres haces allí? ¡Ven a dar a tu vieja abuela un abrazo, vino todo el camino hasta aquí para verte!_ ”  She shouts.

Lance and Sarah ran at their Grandma and about tackled her down, they’ve missed her so much.  Rico was a little hesitant.  He clung to Keith and stared her down, he’s never seen his Abuela before so it was scary to him.  Keith noticed Rico and grabs his hand.

“What’s wrong buddy?”  He asks.  Rico points at his Abuela.

“Kei Kei, I don’t know her.  Lances and Sarah hug-ed her dou.”  He said.  Keith looks over at the old lady and back.

“Rico that’s your Grandma.”

“Grandma?”  He asks.  “I don’t know my Grandma.”

“You wanna hear a secret Rico?”

“What?”  He asks happily.

“I don’t know my Grandma either.”  He gave Rico a smile.  Rico’s eyes grew wide.

“Really?”  He asks, Keith nods.  “Where is your Grandma?”  Keith froze, he looked around.  “Ah she… she lives somewhere else.”  He lied.

“Oh… okay!”  He nods.  “Should I say hi to her?”

“Go for it.”  Keith said.  Rico stood on the couch and waves.

“Hi Grandma.”  He said.  His Abuela smiles at him and picks him up.

“ _Oh ¿es Rico? No he visto tu desde que naciste, probablemente no recuerdes me. Soy su abuela Rosa._ ”  She said.  Rico smiles.

“ _Hola abuela._ ”  He hugs her, then began to giggle.  “ _Te pareces a Mamá._ ”

“ _¿Tiene que decir que soy buena buscando?_ ”  She asks in a cool voice.  All the kids began to laugh, Isabella groans.

“ _Por Dios Mamá. No broma alrededor._ ”  She groans.  Rosa winks at her daughter, she chuckled slightly.  The family, plus Keith, all heard something rushing down the stairs.  It sounded like something was falling down, but it was Sam stomping down the stairs as fast as he can.

“ _¡Abuela! ¡Abuela! ¡Abuela!_ ”  He shouts at her in excitement.

“ _¡Samuel!_ ”  She held her arms out, Sam almost tackled her down.  Rosa was strong and stood her ground.  “ _¿Cómo hace mi bebé?_ ”  She asks using a baby voice.  Sam groans but kept his smile.

“ _No soy un bebé la abuela, yo soy un hombre._ ”  Sam said.  Rosa raised an eyebrow.

“ _No, eres un bebé. Que justo allí, Lance, él es un hombre._ ”  She said.

“Ha.”  Lance mocks him.  Sam glares at Lance and pouts.  Keith was watching, trying to figure out what everyone was saying.  He knew that Abuela meant Grandma, and that lady was clearly related to them.  She looked just like Isabella.

Rosa turns her head and notices Keith, he panics and hid behind the couch again.  She walks over and leans down to spook him.

“ _Hola, ¿quién eres?_ ”  She asked in a playful tone.  Keith jumps and stares at her.

“Um… I-um…”

“ _¿Tienes a un hermoso extraño aquí, quién es?_ ”  She asks.  Isabella smiles sweetly.  She walks over to the couch and pats Keith’s head.

“ _Su nombre es Keith._ ”  Isabella said.  Lance walks over and hugs Keith happily.

“ _Él es mi amigo de la escuela, también trabajamos en un café juntos._ ”  Lance said with a smile.  Keith felt a little embarrassed that Lance was holding him so close, however he had no idea what to say because he had no clue what everyone else was saying.

“Um Lance?”  Keith got his attention.  “I have a feeling she’s your Grandma.”

“Yeah she is.”  Lance nods, he got up and dragged his friend off his feet and placed in front of the old woman.  “Keith meet my Abuela, Rosa McClain.”  He said and points at his Grandma.  Keith felt nervous but he spoke anyways.

“Hello.  It’s very nice to meet you.”  Keith bows.  Rosa gave Keith a confused look.  The other siblings giggled a bit.  She points at him and looks at her daughter.

“ _¿Por qué él reverencia?_ ”  She asks.  Isabella shrugs.

“ _No sé. Tal vez es porque es asiático. Oí los asiáticos cuando saludándose de proa._ ”  Isabella answers to her mom.  Keith looks at Lance with the same look Rosa gave him moments ago.

“Can she speak English?”

“She’s from Cuba.”  Lance said.

“Meaning?”

“No… no she can’t speak English.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me?”  Keith felt embarrassed.  Lance calmed him down.

“Hey hey don’t worry.”  Lance said.  He cleared his throat and grabs Keith’s shoulder.  “ _Dijo, es bueno conocerte._ ”  Lance told his Abuela.  Rosa’s eyes grew and nods.

“ _Oh, está bien. Es bueno conocerte también Keith._ ”  She said.  Keith was confused now.  He looks at Lance with a face that said ‘please help me’.  Lance chuckles at Keith’s state.

“ _Abuela, Keith no habla a español. Él sólo sabe a Inglés._ ”  Lance told her.  Rosa nods and began to speak in horrid English.

“Nice to meeta ya too.”  She said.  Everyone cringed at the lady’s terrible English.  “Ya look beyutifell Keef.”

“Um… thanks.”  He said.  Lance muffled his laughter.  His Abuela caught on to why he was laughing and smacks him.

“ _¡No te rías me usted poco mierda! Vine a verte, no tenía ni idea que su amigo estaría aquí. Quiere avergonzar a mí, no usted? No me Lance, te atrapará! Soy viejo pero soy rápido todavía!_ ”  He screams and runs away from her.  She chases him.  The rest of the family laughs, Isabella grips Keith’s shoulder.

“You know… we haven’t decorated the house yet.  Want to help us?”

“Decorate?”  He asks.  “What do you decorate it with?”

* * *

Keith’s question was answered.  He thought they put up a tree and that was it, nope not the McClains.  They go all out.  He should know this by now, the McClains never do something simple, it’s always all out.

Lance and Sam were decorating the outside with lights, and complaining the whole time.  The others stayed inside and hung things up.  Isabella and Rosa were trying to put the tree up.  Keith was putting Christmas knick knacks everywhere.  They were cheesy and stupid looking, but Keith kind of liked them.  He and Shiro only put up a tree and string beads around it so they don’t pay more for electricity.  Seeing little things here and there made the home seem more… festive.

Sarah and Rico ran around placing things everywhere.  Keith noticed stockings up.  He smiles as he read the names of all the kids.  He noticed that Rebecca’s was hanging up as well, he couldn’t help but stare at it in sadness.  This family, they refuse to let her go.  Isabella walks up to him as Rosa was rearranging the tree.

“Lance wanted it up, he wouldn’t let it sit in a box.  He wants to keep her alive, just one more Christmas with her.”  That sounded like Lance, Keith could tell those two were close.  Something told Keith that Lance’s strength and inspiration was Rebecca.  He smiles at the stocking.

“You know…”  He starts.  “I think she would’ve wanted it up, probably saying ‘you’d better not forget me!’.”  Keith smiles, he hopes he didn’t say the wrong thing.  Isabella laughs, it was bright and cheerful.  A contagious laugh, a lot like someone else Keith knew.

“S-She would say that!  My daughter was a sassy one.”  She wipes a tear from her eye and looks at it.  “God I miss her so much.”

“I know you do.  You never get over death, once it happens… it stays.”  Keith sighs.  She looks at him confused.

“What’s wrong _mi hijo?_ ”  She asks, Keith shook his head.

“N-Nothing… it’s nothing.”  He said, trying to push her away.  Not letting Isabella come closer.  The bigger woman grabs his shoulder.  She smiles at him.

“I won’t push you sweetheart.  However if you ever need someone then you can come to me.  My son isn’t the only one who loves you in this house, okay?”

“Ah!”  Keith felt a little embarrassed to hear that.  “Y-Yeah.”  She smirks at his response.

“Good, now let’s put the decorations up.  I’m sure those two would love to decorate the tree with you.”  Isabella walks up and began to decorate the tree.

Keith went up and started helping too.  Sarah and Rico kept showing him all the ornaments they had.  It was something he hadn’t done in a long time.  He remembers being with his parents, decorating the tree.  His father holding him up to put the star on the top.  Hell Shiro’s parent’s made their tree all fancy with matching ornaments and everything.  It was never fun, but seeing how the McClain’s did it.  It was his childhood all over again.

Nothing matched, it was a cluster of goofy ornaments, all had meaning, all had a place on the tree.  It was their own little tree, their own unique style to their Christmas story.  Keith loved it so much.

“Lookie Princess!”  Sarah held up one of the ornaments to him.  He recognized it, it was the “Sugar Plum Princess”.  Keith smiles and held it up.

“It’s pretty sweetie.”  He said, she giggles.

“It’s you Princess.”

“Huh?  Me?  I’m no Sugar Plum Princess.”  He said, Sarah nods.

“Uh huh, and Lance is the Nutcracker.”  She said with a smirk.  Keith’s face flushed.  Did she know?  Did this eight year old figure out?  Or was she teasing him cause he spends so much time with Lance, oh God she knows doesn’t she?!

“Uh… w-why don’t we hang her up somewhere, okay?”  He stutters, he saw Isabella giving him the same smirk as Sarah.  The little girl giggles.

“Are you embarrassed Princess?”

“N-No I’m not.”

“You’re red!”  She points out, then gasps.  “YOU LIKE LANCE!”

“Wha-?!”  Keith stutters, then he hid his face.  “I DO NOT, SHUT UP!”  He whines, Isabella covered her mouth in shock, Rico giggled a bit, and Rosa had no idea what was going on.  He saw everyone’s reactions and tried to ignore them by putting another ornament on.  Isabella spoke up though.

“That would explain a lot.”  She teases.  “I knew he had something for you but-”

“W-We don’t have a t-thing for each other, final!”  Keith snaps.  Isabella raises an eyebrow.  She walks away and comes back moments later.  Keith go upstairs real quick and get the box from my room.”  He could tell she was up to something, but he ignored it and went to get the box.

“I’ll be back.”  He says.  Isabella ran outside and called to Lance, who was tying Sam up with the lights and not hanging them up.

“Lance, get your butt over here real quick!”

“Why?”

“Cause you’re not doing anything so come here, Sam untangle yourself!”  Isabella commands her kids.  Lance walks over while Sam struggled to free himself from the lights.

“What is it Mamá?”  He asks.  Her smile was something Lance didn’t trust.  “What is it?  I don’t trust you.”

“Nothing~  Just go to the stairs real quick.”

“Why?”

“ _No pregunta yo y sólo tiene que ir._ ”  She pushes him towards the stairs, he groans.

“Fine fine, _dejar de empujarme._ ”  He growls and walks towards the stairs.  Keith walks down and Isabella stops him and took the box from him.

“Thanks.  Also~”  She points up, Lance and Keith’s eyes grew to the size of saucers.  The devil woman lead them under a mistletoe.  Lance turns to his mother.

“I KNEW IT!  I NEVER TRUST THAT SMILE!”  He yells.  Keith about walked away but Sarah pushed him back.

“Come on Lance, you have to kiss the Princess.  Like in the fairy tales, you know?”

“No no no!”

“Do you not think Princess is pretty enough?”  Sarah pouts with a sad face.  Keith was as red as his hoodie.  He didn’t want to be apart of this, though he was under a mistletoe with his crush… he wasn’t bold enough to kiss him.

Lance grabs his head.

“Sarah it’s not-”

“You don’t think he’s good enough don’t you!”  She accuse him, Lance hit his head.

“ _Creo que princesa es muy linda y me gustaría darle un beso, pero él me odia por ello. Princesa debe besar a un príncipe, no un perdedor como yo._ ”  Lance told his sister, she points at him.

“If you want to kiss Princess then kiss him!”  She shouts.  Lance freaks out, he wanted to speak up but Sarah kept talking.  “You’re not a loser, you’re Keith’s Prince Charming!  Man up and kiss your Princess!”  She pushes Keith at Lance, the two stared at each other wide eyed, face red.  They were literally an inch apart.  God they were gonna die.  They felt all eyes on them, even Sam was watching through the window.

“ _Hazlo. Hazlo. Hazlo._ ”  They all started chanting, even Rosa.  Keith looks at them, then back at Lance.

“W-What are they chanting?”  He asks in a meek voice.  Lance swallows hard.

“Um… that means do it.”  Lance translated.  Keith lowers his head, his eyes never left Lance.

“S-Should we?”

“I don’t think we’re getting out of it.”  The two hesitated, they didn’t know what to do.  Lance grabs Keith’s face, they quickly tapped the others lips and freaked out.  One tap and they were out of there.  Everyone cheered for them, all clapping and making a show out of it.  Lance ran back outside and Keith ran upstairs to hide.  The smaller ones chased after the poor Korean.

“Come on Princess, you did it!”  Sarah found Keith hiding in her and Rico’s room.  He was hiding under the blankets.

“LET ME DIE!”

“Kei Kei kissed Lances!”

“Yeah he kissed our brother.”

“SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME HERE!”

“NO!”  They both shout and jump on Keith.  He yelps in pain and pushes them off.  Isabella and Rosa walk in and giggle at him.

“ _Era lindo. Nunca pensé que dos chicos besos sería tan... normal._ ”  Rosa said.  Isabella taps her mom’s shoulder.

“ _Keith le gusten a los chicos Mamá, por lo que por supuesto estaría avergonzada de besar a alguien tan guapo como Lance. ¿No está de acuerdo?_ ”

“ _Lo sé. Lance ha crecido hasta ser bastante el looker. Sería popular detrás casa que diría._ ”  Rosa giggles, Isabella rolls her eyes and looks at Keith.

“You coming out now?”

“NEVER!”

“Okay, I’ll leave you.”  They all left Keith alone, outside Lance was chasing Sam with a branch he found.

* * *

Keith lays on the couch while everyone went to bed, Isabella went to work still.  No rest for that woman.  He stares at the ceiling, the lights from the tree lit up the entire room, it was relaxing.  Keith smiles and stared at all the colors lighting up off the white ceiling.

“Hey.”  He saw Lance walk in.  “Can’t sleep?”

“No.  Not really.”  Keith sat up and let Lance sit next to him.

“Same.”  Lance looks at the floor.  “I’m… I’m sorry about her… mi Mamá.”  Lance said, Keith just stares at him.  “She’s been teasing me lately.  Calling you my boyfriend, though I have to repeat to her we’re just friends.”  That sentence made Keith’s stomach turn.  “Just friends” sounded awful, like a punch to the gut.  It hurt physically as much as it did mentally.

“I-It’s okay… though that never happened to me before.  First time for everything I guess.”  Keith said, Lance paused.

“First?”

“Yeah, first.”

“Like first time kissing under the mistletoe or…”

“My first kiss period.”  Keith said.  “Remember?  You are the first person I’ve considered a friend.  Who else would I have kissed?”  He asks.  “Also… no one liked me…”  He sighs and continued to talk.  “So I never kissed anyone before, sad but true.”  He said.  Lance smiles.

“You’ve never kissed anyone?  So I’m your first?”

“I don’t think what we did counts as a kiss Lance, we touched lips and freaked the fuck out.  That wasn’t a kiss.”

“Yeah that was, it was a peck.”

“Whatever.”  Keith curled up and stared at the floor, the wood reflected the lights differently, Keith liked how it looked like little circles on the floor.

Lance stares at the floor with Keith.

“You know… it’s okay to not have kissed someone yet.”

“No… it’s lame.  I’m lame.”  Keith rests his head on his knees and stares off into space, Lance looks at Keith.

“Do you want me to kiss you?”  He asks.  Keith quickly looked at him, embarrassed but surprised Lance was asking.

“What?”

“Do you want to kiss?”  Lance got closer.  “I don’t mind, heck I think we should have a redo.  Everyone was watching and made things awkward.”  He teases.  Keith looked away and messed with a strand of his hair.

“I… I don’t know…”  He said.  “I mean… I-I’m nervous.”  He confesses.  “I won’t know what to do.”

“So?”  Lance said.  “No one is watching this time.  It’s just us.”

“Just us?”  Keith asks like he had to be sure it was only them.

“Yeah, no one will ever know.”  Lance rubs the side of Keith’s face.  He smiles.

“No one.”

“Not Hunk or Pidge.”

“Not Shiro or Allura.”

“Only us.”  Lance leans in and softly kisses Keith.  Keith grabs Lance’s shoulders and melts into the embrace.  It felt different, a good different.  They pulled away and stared at each other, both smiling.

“We’re like partners in crime.”  Lance said.  Keith chuckles.

“Heh, partners in crime.”  He repeats Lance.  The two laugh together, glad that they were alone.

Except Sarah was watching them the whole time.  She giggles and quietly tip toes upstairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh don't worry, this fluff will not last >:3


	24. Christmas Time

Lance and Keith both conked out on the couch.  It was similar to the night Keith first came in.  Rosa woke up and sat on the chair, she noticed the two but didn’t bother to wake them up.  She turns the TV on and channel surfed, she hated that all of it was in English.

Rosa wanted one channel that she could understand.  She became annoyed and started to shout at her daughter.

“ _ ¡Isabella! ¿Qué canal es noticias en Español? Oi, Isabella, responder a tu Mamá! _ ”  Rosa shouts.  Isabella calls from the upstairs.

“ _ Mamá no tenemos ningún canal en Español, aprender a vivir! _ ”  Isabella shouts back.  Rosa groans and went back to the chair.  The old lady was pissed that she had to watch American TV, all of it in that confusing language.  

Sarah came down and saw the two sleeping together on the couch, she giggles and points at them.  She was enjoying this too much, her Abuela noticed how much Sarah was smiling.

“ _ Te gusta ver a esos dos juntos no. _ ”  Rosa said, Sarah looks over at her Abuela and nods.

“ _ Lance es príncipe de Keith. _ ”  She grabs her mom’s phone and took a picture, putting it in her mom’s new folder that said ‘First Christmas in Altea’.  Rosa smiles at the two boys.

“ _ Se ven tan tranquilas. _ ”  Rosa said in a calm voice, then she shouts.  “ _ ¡DESPIERTEN MUCHACHOS! ¡NADIE QUIERE VERTE EN SU ESTADO DE POST SEXO! _ ”  That got both of them to wake up, flinging the blanket off of them.  “ _ Oh... no importa. Eres completamente vestida. _ ”

“ _ ¡NO TENEMOS SEXO! _ ”  Lance shouts in embarrassment.

“All your shouting is driving me nuts.”  Keith lays back down on Lance.  He watched what Rosa had on.  “Does she understand the TV?”

“Huh?”  Lance looks at Keith.  “Beats me, let me ask.   _ Abuela. _ ”  He got his Abuela’s attention.  “¿ _ Sabe usted lo que dice la televisión? _ ”

“ _ No. Odio la cosa estúpida. _ ”  She pouts and looks back at the TV.  Lance looks at Keith.

“She sai-”

“I heard her.”  Keith responds, glad that “no” was the same in both languages.  He kept watching what she had on, bored out of his mind.  “The TV is boring me.”

“Duh you hate watching TV.  Does “Princess” want to watch a movie?”  Lance teases and brushes Keith’s hair out of his face.

“Call me that again and I will deck you in the face.”  Keith said in a calm voice.  “Maybe… I wanna see more of those movies when I first came here.”

“Alright, let me-”  Lance tried getting up.  Keith wraps his arms around Lance, refusing to let him go.  Lance gave him a look.  “Keith, buddy I need to get up.”

“No, I’m comfy.”  Keith said.  “Sarah sweetie.”

“Yes?”  She looks over at Keith.

“Can you go get that dvd Lance has?  The anime one?”

“Oh the ghibli movies.  Okay.”  Sarah runs upstairs and grabs the dvd.  “Here you go.”  She hands it to Lance, Keith refused to get up.

“Buddy I need to put it in.”

“Noooo I’m comfy!”

“I need to get up at some point loser.”

“Ooooooor you can stay in here and not move… at all.”  Keith said.  Lance groans, he looks at his friend who was staring at the TV.  Sarah smirks at the two.

“Don’t worry Lance, I’ll put it in.”  She puts the dvd in and hands him the remote.  Lance knew what she was getting at, however he said nothing.  Instead he scrolled through to find something to watch.

“I wanna watch that one.”

“Which one?”  Lance asks.

“Meh.”  Keith lazily points at the screen.  Lance gave Keith a look.  He was acting so fucking lazy.  It was adorable, but still lazy and unlike Keith.  The two saw Isabella walk outside with Rico, Sarah got up and followed her mom.

“ _ ¿Mamá tengo que ir realmente rápido, quieren venir con a ver la ciudad? _ ”  She asks.  Rosa looks at her daughter and gave a smile.

“ _ Sin duda, no tengo nada mejor que hacer. Tomar a tu Mamá un lugar agradable. _ ”  Rosa got up and follows her daughter out the door.

“We’ll be back, you two behave yourselves.”

“I can’t get up…”  Lance whines to his mom, she rolls her eyes and left.  “SOME HELP YOU ARE!”

“Quit yelling.”  Keith lightly hit his face.

“You’re being awfully lazy.”

“I’m tired.”  Keith looked up at Lance with his usual big eyed curiosity.  “Is this uncomfortable?  I-I mean I can get up if you want.  I thought since we’ve layed like this before it was ok-”  Lance cuts him off by hugging the poor boy to death.  Keith freaked out, but he didn’t fight it.

“Awwww you’re so adorable Keith!”  Lance squees like a girl.  “How can someone be so fucking cute!  It should be illegal to be this adorable!”

“I’m not cute…”

“Yes you are!  The cutest thing I’ve ever seen!”  Lance was too busy mauling Keith that he didn’t notice Sam till he heard a laugh.  They both look over at him.

“Really?  Ya kiss once and now ya act all lovey dovey?”  He teases.  “Aw you’re such a cute little freak~”  He mocks Lance while walking into the kitchen.

“I didn’t say that!”  Lance shouts.  Keith looked down in both embarrassment and anger.  He knew Sam hated him, and though he loved the McClain family he hated Sam just as much.  Keith wants to know why this kid is such a brat, but he stayed quiet and leaned against Lance’s shoulder.

“Just ignore him.”  Keith said quietly.  Sam walks back in with a bowl of cereal and ate.

“If you two are gonna be like that then go upstairs.  I don’t want to see your gay ass romance.”  He said.  Lance glares at his kid brother, then smirks.  Keith shook his head.

“Aw you hate gay love?”

“Between you and that ugly ass faggot?  Yes.”  Sam flipped through the movies they had.  Lance looks at Keith, he was gonna do it.  Keith shook his head faster, too late.  Lance wanted to make Sam as uncomfortable as possible.

“Aw I don’t think you’re ugly at all, I mean you’re just precious!”

“Lance stooop!”  Keith hid his face, he wasn’t trying to help he was legit embarrassed by Lance.  He was fine when they’re alone, but around others made him flustered.  They’re not even together and they act like this.

“But I can’t let Sam call you ugly.  You’re so cute and so pretty, I think Sarah’s right.  You are the prettiest princess in the whole world~”  He grabs Keith and tackles him down on the couch, he noticed Sam was looking away, face full of disgust.  He smirks and whispers to Keith.

“You’ll hate me for this but just play along.”

“Wha-?”  Keith did not want to know what Lance was gonna do.  Lance smiles and nuzzles into Keith’s face, Keith squirms trying to get away from Lance.  He began to laugh, he didn’t know why.  It was goofy, what Lance was doing.

“What are you-?  Lance st-stop it!”  He said through laughter.  “I said knock it off!”  He pushes Lance off, both are still laughing.  Sam got up.

“OKAY I AM LEAVING!”  Sam storms off, he was officially grossed out.  Didn’t take much to gross out Sam.  As soon as he was gone the two broke out laughing.  Lance fixes his glasses and looks at Keith.  

“Still an Omega.”  Lance comments, Keith gave him a playful smile.

“If it means I get treated like this then I don’t mind it.”  He was being honest, Keith kind of enjoyed letting someone else take control.  What happened next was kind of hilarious, Lance turned bright red and fell off the couch in a panic.  Keith shot up and laughed at Lance.

“What’s wrong?  I said the truth and you fell.”  Keith asks.  Lance shot him a look.

“Do you not think before you speak?”  Lance asks, Keith caught on.  Lance was embarrassed.  Keith smiles, time to get payback for all the times he’s messed with Keith causing him to make a fool out of himself.

“What’s wrong?  I was saying I liked it when you took over.”  Keith said in a flirtatious voice.  “You can take me down with such ease, makes things more…  _ intoxicating~ _ ”  The way Keith said that should be illegal.

“Shut up!”

“Why don’t you make me?”  He smirks.  Lance was done, he was done done done!  

“Quit using that tone of voice!  It’s… it’s… JUST STOP!”

“You turned on?”  The little snake caught on.  Lance stormed off.

“Done with you Kogane!”  He shouts.  Keith laughed and fell off the couch, that caused Lance to laugh.  “Ha ha serves you right!”  Lance laughs at him.  Keith glares and looks away.

“Shush up.”  He sat up on the couch and looked at the clock.  “What time is it?”  He asks, Lance pulls his phone out.

“Um… it’s eleven.  When is Shiro and Allura leaving?”

“Tonight.”  Keith said.  “They kept convincing me to come, that’s when I ran here.”

“You should go and see Allura’s family.”

“No.”  Keith said.  “They’d hate me.”

“No they won’t.  Didn’t you hear me earlier?  I like you, so they’ll like you.”  Lance said.  Keith shook his head.

“I don’t know why they want me around.  I mean I’m not getting with their daughter.”

“Yeah… but you’re related to Shiro.  I can’t force you… but you should go.”  Lance pecks Keith’s cheek and walked towards the kitchen.  Keith held his cheek, he turned a shade darker.  Why did he do that?  There was no reason to do that so why did he?  While Keith freaked out Lance snooped around the kitchen.

“HOLY SHIT COOKIES!”  He took one then made a disgusted noise.  “PLAH YUCK, DEVIL WOMAN PUT SALT IN IT!”

Keith muffled his laughter.  Was that common?

Isabella walks in with the rest of the family.  Lance points at Rosa in anger.

“ _ ¡PONER SAL EN LAS GALLETAS! _ ”  He shouts.  Rosa laughed at him, she knew she was guilty.  Keith learned that Rosa was a trickster.  He thought she’d be a normal sweet Grandma, she’s the opposite.

“DID SOMEONE SAY COOKIES?!”  Sam ran down and took a cookie, he made the same noise as Lance.  “GAH  _ ¡LO QUE LA ABUELA DE INFIERNO! _ ”  He shouts, Rosa laughs again.  She was evil.

Keith smiles at them, he never had a big family like this.  He kind of felt like he was intruding on their lives, but they felt opposite.  They liked having him here, spending time with him.  Keith sighs, he got up and went to the door.

“Where are you going?”  Lance asks.  Keith smiles, it was an innocent smile.

“I gotta get packing.”  He said.  Lance smiles back, happy to see him turn around.  Keith ran outside and drove to his apartment.

* * *

“I’m glad you changed your mind Keith.”  Allura said.  “You’ll like my Father I just know it.”

“Whatever.”  Keith said as he played with his phone.  Shiro looks in the mirrors and saw Keith reading something.

“What are you reading Keith?”  He asks, Keith quickly put his phone down in embarrassment.

“N-Nothing!  Nothing at all!”  Nailed it.  He took a screenshot on his phone and looked 

back at the front.  “How big is your family Allura?”

“Meh it’s average.”  She said.  Shiro looks at Keith in the back.  The boy was already nervous, too many people may freak him out.

“Keith we’ll have a room to ourselves so if you need to hide out in there you can.”  That made Keith feel a little better.  A place to hide and never see people, perfect.  Though he wanted to try and get along with Allura’s family, she deserved that much from him.

The car ride took an eternity.  Keith was a little hesitant, he hadn’t left the city since he was adopted.  That was almost seven years ago.  He hated seeing his home so far behind, but he didn’t complain.  It was for two days.  He could be away for two days… he hoped.

* * *

Lance watches Sarah and Rico shake their gifts.

“If you keep shaking them they might break.”  Lance warns them with a smile.  Sarah sticks her tongue out and continued to shake, Rico copied her.  Lance shrugs and continued to watch.  Sarah looks at Lance.

“Where did Princess go?”

“Huh?”

“Why didn’t he stay with us?”  She asks.  Lance smiles at her.

“Cause he went to celebrate with his family.”  He said.  “Princess isn’t in our family.”

“Can we pretend he is?”  Sarah asks.  “We all really like Princess.”

“I know Sarah, but Keith had to go to his family.  He isn’t a part of ours.”

“I guess we have to wait till he is a part of our family.”  She pouts and grabs another present to shake.  Lance raises an eyebrow.

“Until he is?  What makes you think he’ll be in our family?”  He pokes her head.

“You’ll marry him, right?  I mean you two love each other lots and lots.”  She said, Lance rolls his eyes.

“Yeah right sweetheart.  He’s a friend.”

“If he’s a “friend” then why did you kiss?”  She asked folding her arms across her chest.

“Uh cause Mamá tricked us with a mistletoe?”  Lance gave his sister a look.

“No I mean the other one!  When you two kissed at night!”  Time stopped, Lance’s face turned red.

“Y-You saw that?”

“Yeah.  I went down to spy on you two.”

“WHY?!”

“Because I am very interested in your love life.”  Sarah was honest, and also did not know the meaning of the word privacy, or personal space, or embarrassing.

Lance points at his sister.

“You will not tell a soul about that.  NOT.  A.  SOUL!”  He said in a low voice.  Sarah tried to show little fear as possible.  But she was scared.

“I should tell Mamá.”  Sarah said, Lance picks her up and held her upside down.  Poor girl started to scream in fear, which soon turned into joy and laughter.

“What did I say?”  He asks.

“ _ ¡Quiero decir a Mamá! _ ”  She squeals.  Lance spun around, her screaming and laughter became louder.  Rico glares at the two and covers his ears.

“You will not tell Mamá!”

“But Lance, she’ll want to know!”

“ _ Sí, entonces no te nunca escucho el final de la misma.  ¡Fue una cosa de tiempo Sarah! ¡Princesa y yo no estamos en el amor! _ ”  Lance shouts.  Sarah kicks his glasses off his face.  “HEY!”

“You like him and you know it!”

“No I don’t!”

“Rebecca told me you liked him!”  She shouts.

“Rebecca was a liar!”

“You’re a liar!”  Sarah shouts.  “Admit you love him, you love Princess!”

“Do not!”  He carried her upstairs and threw her on her bed.  “Prince Lance sentences you ten minutes in the dungeon!”

“NO!”  She cries over dramatically.  Lance walks down with a smile on his face.  Rosa heard Sarah’s dramatic cry and looks at Lance.

“ _ ¿Qué pasa con ella? _ ”

“ _ Ella tuvo que me burlan sobre Keith así que le puse en su habitación. _ ”  Lance points upstairs.  Rosa shook her head.

“ _ Hermanas lo haré. Recuerdo cuando su tío Juan tuvo una niña, oh que tu Mamá no lo dejaba ir. Ella le burlas por una semana, fue divertido. _ ”  Rosa smiles, Lance kept walking down the stairs.

“ _ Uno, estás mal. Dos, que es completamente diferente. _ ”  Lance points out.  Rosa gave her grandson a look.

“ _ ¿De qué manera? _ ”

“ _ Tío Juan trajo una casa chica, yo tenía un amigo de chico. ¿Si trajo a mi amiga Katie luego que tendría más sentido, correcto? _ ”  Lance asks.  Sarah ran by the two happily.

“ _ ¡Princesa Keith es gay! Eso significa que le gusten a los chicos! _ ”  She says happily.  “ _ ¡Le gustan los chicos también, Lance! _ ”  Lance immediately shot his sister a look.

“SARAH!”

“ _ Oh eres un maricón. _ ”  Rosa said with no hesitation, Lance panics and looks at his Abuela.

“ _ ¡No hay ninguna Abuela! Soy bi sexual... lo que significa me gusta los niños y niñas. _ ”  Lance said quickly.  Rosa listens to her grandson carefully.

“ _ ¿Así que no difiere de tío Juan? _ ”

“ _ ¡TODAVÍA DIFERENTE DE TÍO JUAN! _ ”  He shouts then froze.  “ _ ¿Espera... no estás enojado conmigo? _ ”  He asks.  Rosa gave him a look.

“ _ ¿Por qué sería loco? Finalmente comprobé que no hizo nada mal. _ ”  Rosa walked upstairs without saying another word to Lance.  He was surprised, he thought for sure she’d be upset with him.  He remembers that Sarah got out so he chased her.

“GET BACK HERE SARAH!”  He heard her scream and run away happily.

* * *

Keith saw a huge house come into view.  Allura pulls into the driveway that was full of cars.  He was having second thoughts about this.  Seems like a lot of people were here.  The three got out and grab their bags.  Keith messes with the knife he had and dragged his bag in, Shiro looks at Keith.

“I don’t think you should play with that while others are around.”  He said.  Keith looks up at him.

“I’m nervous.”  He mumbles, Shiro heard him loud and clear.

“It’s okay to be scared, if I’m being honest I’m terrified.”  Shiro smiles, Keith started to laugh.

“You have a reason to be scared.”  Keith said.  He looks at the cage attached to Shiro’s bag.  “Did you have to bring Black?”

“Yes I did.”  Shiro said.  “No one else would watch him.”

“So you bring him?  You could’ve filled the bowl and left him.”  Keith said.  Shiro shook his head.

“No my kitty is coming with me.”  

“ARE YOU TWO COMING?”  Allura calls to them.  The brothers groan and walk faster to catch up to her.  They finally got to the front door, a thin man with orange hair and an over the top mustache opens up.  A big smile grew on his face.

“Allura!”

“Coran!”  She hugs him.  “What are you doing here?”

“Celebrating of course!  I have been with your family for years, seeing as how I’m your Father’s closest friend.”  He smiles.  Allura looks back at Shiro and Keith.

“You two, this is Coran.  He is my family’s closest friend, like family to us.”  She said.  Coran waves.

“Salutations young ones!  Who are you two fine gentlemen?”  He asks, Keith immediately felt uncomfortable.  The man was way to positive.  Shiro went up to Coran and shook his hand.

“I’m Takashi Shirogane, everyone calls me Shiro.”  He said, he nudged Keith to introduce himself.  Keith glares at Shiro and spoke up.

“I-I’m his younger brother, Keith Kogane.”  He said, Coran looks at the two with a smile.

“Well Shiro, Keith.  It’s nice to make your acquaintance.”  He said, Shiro and Keith nod.  Allura giggles and walks in.

“Come on you two let’s go in.”  She said.  The two follow her inside, the house was fancy and just beautiful.  The two were uncomfortable.

“This… this is new.”  Shiro said.  Keith messed with his pocket knife again.

“Nothing like any of the homes I’ve lived in…”  Keith said.  A taller man walks in making the brothers jump.  Keith held the knife out for protection, Shiro noticed it.

“NOT FIGHT OR FLIGHT!”  Shiro panicked and tried taking the knife from Keith.

“FORGET FLIGHT, I WILL FIGHT!”  He shouts back, the man began to laugh and pats Keith’s head.

“I like you.  Who might you two be?”  He asks.  Keith still held his knife out, Shiro pushed Keith’s arm down.

“Um… I’m Shiro and this is Ke-”

“Who are you?!”  Keith asks.  The man smiles.

“I am-”

“Father!”  Allura runs at the man and hugs him, Shiro and Keith were distracted with the knife that they didn’t notice her.  “I’ve missed you so much!”

“Oh Allura it’s been so long.  How’s the business going?”

“It’s going well.”  She gestures to Shiro and Keith.  “I see you’ve made their acquaintance.”

“The one in the red hoodie has a lot of energy to him.”

“That’s Keith, he’s a rowdy one.  The one behind him is Shiro.  He’s… still trying to take Keith’s knife…”

“BACK AWAY!  I NEED IT!”

“NO YOU’LL STAB SOMEONE!”   


”FIGHT!”  Keith and Shiro kept fighting over the pocket knife.

“Anyways you two.”  She got their attention.  “This is my father Alfor.”

“Hello.”  He waves, the two felt embarrassed.  They immediately calmed down and bowed at Alfor.

“Hi sir.”  Keith said.

“It’s nice to meet you.”  Shiro followed.  Alfor looks at Allura and points.

“Um… is the bowing necessary?”

“It’s their culture Father.”  Allura said.  “That’s them showing respect.  Take it as a compliment.”

“It’s odd.”  Alfor said, he smiles and bows at them.  “Well it’s nice to meet you two as well.”  He said.  Allura giggles at the sight of that.  Shiro and Keith were the confused ones now.

“He knows he doesn’t have to bow right?”  Shiro asks.

“He’s trying to be kind.”  She said.  “You know, respecting your culture.”

“It’s weird.”  Keith said.  Allura smacks the back of his head.  “Ack!”

“We’ll be taking our things to my room.”  The two follow Allura up a large set of stairs, Shiro and Keith reach the top of the stairs out of breath.  They were in shape but that in itself was a workout.  Allura dropped her bags and breaths.  “O-Okay… five second breather.”  She said.

“I walk up to our apartment with my backpack everyday and I never get tired.  This tired me out!  This is bullshit!”  Keith complains.  After their breather they walk into Allura’s old room, it looked like a hotel suite.  A bed, couch, TV, consoles, and a window looking out into the backyard.  The two were shocked.

“This room is almost the size of our apartment.”  Shiro said.

“Yeah I know, a little too big.”  She said, Keith couldn’t find a place to hide out, it was bugging him.

“It is too big.”  He complains.  “I don’t like this!”

“Are you okay with the couch Keith?”  Allura asks.  Keith threw his bag on the couch and laid down.  “I’m taking that as a yes.”

“I feel like I’m melting in this thing.”  Keith said happily, it was a comfy couch.  Allura goes on her bed and passed out, Shiro looks at Keith.

“Just two days, okay?”

“Okay.”  Keith sighs and relaxed.  The three passed out moments later.

* * *

Christmas Eve morning arrived and everyone in the McClain family was a little restless.  Rosa looks around the house for her phone.  She wanted to call her other kids and wish them a Merry Christmas, she couldn’t find it, so she’ll ask someone if they’ve seen it.  Rosa walks upstairs and into the bathroom.  She heard the shower going and decided to ask the person in there her question.  She pulls them back, Lance was the poor sap in the shower.  He screams and pulls the curtain back to cover himself.

“ _ ¿Lance has visto mi teléfono? _ ”

“ _ ¡ABUELA EN LA DUCHA! _ ”  He shouts in embarrassment.  His Abuela gave him a bored look.

“ _ Te he visto desnudo antes de Lance, un hombre desnudo no es nada nuevo para mí. ¿Has visto mi teléfono? _ ”  She asked her question again.

“ _ ¡NO YO NO HE VISTO! ¿PUEDE USTED POR FAVOR DEJE? _ ”  He shouts.  Rosa rolls her eyes and left.  After a few minutes she found her phone.  She walked back upstairs and took a picture of Lance in the shower.  She laughs evilly and runs down the stairs, Lance quickly put a towel around his waist and chases after her.

“ _ ¡LA ABUELA SERÍA MEJOR ELIMINAR! _ ”  He shouts at her, she snickers and continued to run from Lance, which was easier since he was in a towel and it was cold in the house.

* * *

Keith woke up and saw Allura was gone, probably downstairs.  Shiro was still asleep, Black on his lap purring at the peace and quiet.  Keith walks over and shook Shiro lightly.

“Shiro… Shiro wake up.”  Nothing was working.  Time for plan B.  He picked up Black and moved him to Shiro’s face, Black didn’t move but gave Keith a pissed off look.  “Aw bite me Black.”  Keith growls.

Shiro pushed Black off, the cat made an unpleasant noise and glared at his owner.  Shiro gasps for air and looks at Keith.

“Why-Why did you do that?!”  He asks Keith like he was mad.  Keith just gave him a neutral look.

“I wanted you awake.”

“So you suffocate me?!”

“I tried shaking you.”

“If you tried once and gave up I will seriously kill you Keith.”  He hisses.  Keith looked away, caught red handed.

“Allura’s probably downstairs so we should go.”

“YOU ONLY SHOOK ME ONCE YOU LITTLE SHIT!”

“Let’s go.”

“KEITH I WILL MURDER YOUR SORRY ASS!”  Shiro chased Keith down the long stairs.  Keith was quicker but Shiro was far more determined to kill his younger brother.  They ran past a large group of people, embarrassing Allura in the process.

Alfor looks at her daughter with a judgemental look.  She smiles nervously.

“T-This is common Father, they are siblings after all.”  Allura said.  He kept giving her the look.  “Alright I’ll stop them.”  She walks over to them and grabs them both by their ears.  They whine in pain and stare at Allura.  “What is wrong with you two?”

“Allura this hurts!”  Keith whines.  She pinched his ear harder.

“Suck it up!  You are both embarrassing me and yourselves!”  She hisses.  “My family now thinks you two are loons!  Quit it and try to make a good impression, cause right now?  They don’t like ya too much!”  Allura lets go and glares at them.  Shiro and Keith look away, ashamed of themselves.

“To be fair.”  Keith starts.  “It was Shiro’s fault.”  He points at Shiro.  His brother quickly looked up and shot him a glare.

“My fault?!  This was all on you!”  The blame game continues.  Allura gave both of them a cold stare.

“I don’t care who’s fault it is!  Just knock it off, it’s Christmas Eve and my whole family is starting to show up!  Don’t!  Mess!  This!  Up!”  She hisses again and storms off.  Keith and Shiro look at each other then sigh.  They pissed Allura off, that was bad.  They sat down and saw more people come in.  Keith looks at Shiro.

“There were a few people here yesterday, is this really her whole family?”  He asks.  Shiro shrugs.

“I don’t know, it’s a huge family I guess.”

“Allura?”  Keith calls her over.  She walks over and gave him a look.  “How big is your family?”

“Quite small actually.  Most of these people are business partners.”  Allura said.  “Enjoy today cause tomorrow it’s all day fancy clothes and talking to everyone~”

“No.”  Keith said.  “I refuse to talk to anyone.  I’d rather hang out with the cat.”

“You are not hanging out with Black!”  Allura shouts.  

“But they already dislike me!  I’m uncomfortable around new people.  Why do you think I ran and hid at Lance’s house?”

“I know you’re uncomfortable Keith, but I think you’ll enjoy this.  Christmas is way more fun with family.”  Allura tried making it better.

“I’d rather go back.”  Keith said.  “The only reason I decided to come here is Lance convinced me to come.  He told me that this was for the better.”  Keith looks down.  “I’m still nervous around these people, this is too fancy and large.  I’m use to apartments or farms… not this.”

“Oh God Keith it’s fine!  Christmas is about family so enjoy being with your family.”  Allura finally snaps.  She was just annoyed with Keith’s attitude.  Keith shot her a glare.

“If Christmas is about being with family then take me to the graveyard in my home town in another fucking state!  That’s where my family is!”  Keith snaps back, he storms off back to the room and slams it shut.  Shiro looks at Allura with a disappointed look.

“You know he can’t help it.”  Shiro starts.  “Keep in mind he hasn’t had a normal life since he was a young kid.”  Shiro walks upstairs to calm Keith down.

He saw his brother curled in a ball on the couch.  Shiro sighs and walks over to Keith, trying to calm him down.  He knew Keith wasn’t going to come down the rest of the day.

* * *

The McClain family rests after they ate supper, though there wasn’t many of them they still needed to make a full meal for  _ Noche Buena _ .  Lance looks at Sarah who was trying to stay awake.

“Sarah go upstairs.”  Lance said.  The sleepy girl stared at the tree happily.

“I wanna wish Jesus a happy birthday.”  She said in a sleepy voice.  Lance picks her up, she cuddles to his shoulder.

“You can wish him a happy birthday tomorrow.”  He told his sister.  

“I love  _ Noche Buena.   _ Yummy pig and pudding...”  Sarah fell asleep in her brothers shoulder, he walks past his mom and grandma.  They stare at the sleepy girl in his arms.

“ _ Ella es tan linda. Usted debe bendecido para tener una niña querida como ella. _ ”  Rosa said.  Lance rolls his eyes and carried Sarah to her room.  He lays her next to Rico and smiles.

“ _ Ella es algo bueno. _ ”  Lance said with a sigh.  He got up and walked to his room.  “ _ Bien este príncipe aquí necesita su sueño de belleza. Buenas noches Abuela. _ ”

“ _ Buenas noches Príncipe Lance. _ ”  Rosa bows and walks to Rebecca’s room where she was staying.  She stops and looks at her Grandson, she smiles and walks into the room.

* * *

Keith woke up screaming, Shiro and Allura both woke up to the horrid shrieking.  Shiro got to Keith and held him tight.

“Keith, Keith please calm down!”  Shiro said, of all nights to have a night terror.  Keith looks up at Shiro, horror written across his face.  “It’s okay, it’s okay.”

“Who are you?”  Keith asks.  “I-I don’t know you!”  He freaks out.  Allura runs over and  grabs Keith’s hand.

“Keith sweetie, it’ll be okay.  We’re here, alright?”

“Who the hell are you two?!”  He shouts.  “Where’s my Eomma?  Where’s Appa?!”  He tried fighting his way out, Shiro held him close.

“Who is Eomma and Appa?”

“That’s what he called his parents.”  Shiro said.  “He’s real far back.”

“I have a feeling it’s my fault.”  Allura said.  “I’m sorry Keith, I brought up your parents, can you forgive me?”

“Why are you apologizing?  Do you know where they are?”  He asks.  “How long have I been gone?  They’re probably worried about me, I need to get home.”  Keith said calmly.  Shiro shook his head.

“No they’ll be here soon to pick you up okay?”

“Really?”  He asks, Shiro nods giving him a warm smile.  Keith looks down.  “Okay.”  Keith lays back on the couch, soon enough he fell back asleep.  Shiro slowly walked back to his bed and sighs.  Allura sat next to him and stares at Keith.

“That was new.”  Allura said.

“Sometimes his terrors are so far back he forgets me.  It’s getting worse.”  Shiro said in a quiet voice.  Allura looks at Shiro and rubs his shoulder.

“He’ll be back to normal by morning?”

“Yeah, this doesn’t last.”  Shiro lays back and tried to sleep again, Allura lays next to him watching Shiro as he tried to fall asleep.

* * *

Keith woke up and looked around, it was almost nine in the morning.  He walked towards the window and saw a large amount of people already out there, including Allura.  He got his bag out and looked for his dress clothes, once he found them he quickly got changed and walked down.  He didn’t want an issue like yesterday so he let Shiro sleep.

He reached the bottom floor and walked outside.  The cold winter air greeted him before Allura, she noticed him and almost ran towards him.

“Good morning Keith, are you alright?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Well… you know who I am… right?”  She asks.  Keith had no idea what had gotten into her, he gave her a look like she was an idiot.

“I live with you Allura.  I should know you by now.”  He said.  Allura sighs with relief.  “Why are you asking?  Did you have a bad dream or something?”  He asks.

“No I didn’t Keith, it’s fine.”  She said quickly, he caught on.  He groans and hid his face in his hands.

“Oh my God did I have a panic attack last night?”  He asked.

“No no you didn’t!”

“Don’t fucking lie!  I did didn’t I?”  He can’t believe he had a night terror in this big house full of people.  “I am so sorry Allura!  I didn’t mean to- God how far back did I go?”  He asked, Allura didn’t want to answer but Keith’s eyes were practically begging.  She sighs and gave in.

“You were asking for your Eomma and Appa.”  She said, Keith was shocked.

“That far back?”  He asks.  Allura nods, she could tell Keith was panicking.  “I can’t believe it… I’m not getting better at all.”

“No no no Keith, you are getting better.  This takes time remember?”

“I haven’t asked for my parents in a long while Allura!  I am not getting better, it’s getting worse!”

“Well ain’t this a weird way to celebrate Christmas.”  Coran interrupts the two.  “Come on Keith, join the rest of us!”  He drags Keith away, Allura waves him off not noticing Shiro walking down.

“What did I miss?”

“Keith freaking out about his night terror then Coran dragged him off somewhere.”  She points at Keith standing amongst a group of people looking confused and awkward.  Allura walks over and stood next to Keith.

“Why?”  He asks.  “Why did he drag me off?!  We were in the middle of a conversation!”

“No you were freaking out.”  Allura points out.  Keith pouts and walks off.  “Where are you going now?”

“Somewhere else.”  He said as he walked inside.  He sat on what he thought was an empty couch but something moved and he jumped back in surprised.  A grouchy woman glares at him, her yellow eyes pierce his soul.  “U-Um…”

“Who are you?”  She asks.

“Ah…”  He was a little scared, the lady kept staring at him.  Allura walks in and noticed who Keith was next.  She sighs and places a hand on his shoulder, he jumps and looks up in surprise.  He sighed with relief when he saw Allura.

“Keith this is my Aunt Haggar.”  She said.  Haggar looks at Allura then back at Keith.  Keith felt real uncomfortable next to this lady.

“H-Hi…”

“Hello.”  She waves.

“Aunt Haggar, how are you?”  Allura asks, her aunt said nothing.  “Um… where’s Lotor?  And please tell me Uncle didn’t show up.”

“Your Uncle didn’t show up.”

“Really?”  Allura’s face lit up, Haggar said nothing.  Allura sighs with relief.  “Okay Lotor is here, where is he?”  She asks, Haggar points outside.  Keith saw a tall young man with long white hair talking to the others casually.  The man noticed Allura and walks in.

“Hello Allura~”

“Hello Lotor.  Keith this is my cousin.”  She points at Lotor.  Keith looks at him and nods, kind of like bowing.

“Aw he’s a shy one.”  He teases Keith.  “Anyways, it’s nice to see you again Allura.”

“Yeah… it’s great…”  Keith could tell those two did not like each other at all.  It was very awkward to be near them.  Keith noticed Haggar’s clothes moved, he jumped back when he saw a grey cat popped out of her coat.  It looked over at Keith and hissed, Keith about screamed.

“Go back Cova.”  She said as she pushed the cat back.  Keith had a fucking heart attack from that cat, he’ll never complain about Black again.  

“So Keith is your name?”  Lotor got his attention.  “What an… old name.”  He comments.  Keith felt attacked, he wanted to kill this guy now.

Keith decided to ignore him and pulled his phone out of his pocket.  He couldn’t text Pidge cause she was spending time with her father and brother that usually worked out of state, and Hunk was on a vacation with his family.  Keith could only bug Lance, he prayed that he wasn’t too busy.

* * *

The McClain kids ran downstairs and sat around the living room, their Abuela was already sitting on the chair happily watching them.  Their mom walks in and pulls her phone out.

“ _ ¡Muy bien todo el mundo, calmar y decir "Feliz Navidad" a tu familia casa de espalda! _ ”  Isabella was filming her children.  They all sat together and smiled happily.

“ _ ¡Feliz Navidad! _ ”  They all say happily.  Isabella points the camera at her mom and she waves at her kids back home.  She points it towards herself and smiles.

“ _ Feliz Navidad. _ ”  She said in a bittersweet voice.  She turns the video off and stares at everyone.  “ _ ¿Quién quiere vacaciones? _ ”  She asks, all her kids raise their hands happily.  “Alright, Sarah come help me.”

“Okay!”  She follows Isabella to the kitchen.  Sam and Rico sit on the couch and watch TV while Rosa rests her eyes.  Lance stood next to the tree happily, he loved seeing his family so happy and content.  

He felt his phone go off in his pockets, he should be wondering why he fell asleep with his phone in his pocket.  He saw someone was trying to call him over facetime, he answered it and Keith came on.

“Oh good morning sunshine.”  Lance said, Keith laughs.

“Dude, did you just wake up?”  Keith asks.

“Shut up, at least I don’t look like I’m at some fancy party.”

“Hey I look good, unlike you.”  The two laugh a bit.  “God I don’t like it here, I wanna be back home.  Should’ve stayed hidden.”

“Aw is it that bad?”  Lance asks sweetly.

“Yes.” … … … … 

“You not gonna add on to that?”

“What else should I say?  I don’t like it here, Allura’s house is too big and fancy.  I feel like i’ll break the floor if I’m not careful.  Also the tree’s ornaments match.”  Keith said as he stared the tree down.

“Sounds fancy.”

“I like your place better, feels so warm and homey.”  Keith admits.  A random face looks down at the phone, Keith slowly glares at him.  “Get the fuck away from me, you piece of shit.”  Keith said slowly.

“Who is that?”

“Allura’s cousin Lotor.  Ignore him, he’s a nobody.”

“Who’s the hot mess you’re talking to?  Is it your boyfriend?”  He mocks Keith.

“No, go away.”

“I didn’t think someone with poor fashion choices could land with someone so attractive.”

“I’ll kick your ass if you don’t leave me alone.”

“Really now?”  Lotor kept messing with Keith.  He punched Lotor square in the jaw.  The poor guy held his face glaring at Keith.

“How ya do it in Texas.”  Keith said with a slight accent.  Lance tried hard not to laugh at that.  “What?”

“Howdy partner, y’all ready fer this towns rodeo?”  Lance made an over the top accent.  Keith raised an eyebrow at him.

“No, how about you Señor?  I’m sure you’re ready for a town fiesta~”  Keith came back with an over the top Spanish accent.  Lance glares.

“Jeez, can’t take a joke you salty little shit.”  Keith couldn’t help but chuckle.

“You’re the one who can’t take a joke McClain.”  The two couldn’t stay mad for long, they started talking casually again.  “So what are you doing today?  Any plans?”

“Dunno.  We celebrated  _ Noche Buena  _ last night, we also wished my family back home a Merry Christmas.  It goes on till the sixth so we have time to give gifts and send our families love.”  Lance explained what he was doing.

“The sixth, as in January?!”

“Yeah.”  Lance nods.

“Why are you celebrating till the sixth of January?!”  Keith couldn’t believe that.  Two weeks for one holiday, he must be joking.

“You only celebrate it for one day, I find that odd.”

“You’re odd!”

“No, you Americans make such a big deal about Christmas but only celebrate it for one day.  Why hype it up so much if you’re only going to celebrate it for one day?”  Lance asks.  Keith couldn’t answer.  It’s been engraved in his mind that Christmas lasts a day and it’s an important holiday.  He thinks two weeks is over kill, but he has to remember Lance isn’t from America so his culture is different.

“Two weeks?  What are you planning on doing for two weeks?”

“Celebrate Christmas?”

“You realize school starts on the fourth… right?”  Keith asks.

“Really?!  My old school didn’t start till the sixth!”  Lance complains.  “Aw  _ ¡Puto infierno, escuelas americanas estúpidas! _ ”

“Quit your bitching.  Not everyone is from another country.”  Keith said.  Lance rolls his eyes.  He didn’t care, he wanted to celebrate Christmas, he’ll skip school if he had to.  “If you’re planning on skipping school then I will come over and force you to go.”

“Quit reading my mind!”

“Know you too well.”  Keith smiles at his friend playfully.  Lance grunts and looks away, 

Keith began to chuckle, he was enjoying this.

“You’re lucky you’re my friend, otherwise I’d hang up.”

“Please don’t.  I’m bored and can’t take it.  So many people… look at the lady I’m sitting next to!”  He points the phone at Haggar.  She looks at the screen and waves at Lance.  He waves back awkwardly.

“Who is that?”

“Allura’s aunt.”

“Ah.”  Lance nods.  He saw Rico tugging at his pant leg.  Lance knew what he wanted, he smiles at his brother.  “Sarah!  Come here real quick, I’ve got a surprise for you!”  He heard her run out of the kitchen and towards Lance.  He puts the phone down.  “Say hi.”

“Hi Princess!”

“Kei Kei!  Kei Kei!”

“Hey you two.”  Keith smiles at the two kids, those two always made his day better.  He doesn’t know why they like him so much, however he wasn’t complaining.

“Where are you?”  Sarah asks.

“I’m.”  He stopped for a moment and thought.  “I’m in a castle.”

“A what?!”  Sarah gawked.  Keith got up and walked around showing the little girl the mansion.  She squeals and jumps in place.  “You’re in a castle!  A real castle!”

“Yes I am.  It’s so pretty here, I feel like I could dance around.”  He said in a jolly voice.  Sarah giggles happily, she loved seeing Princess in a castle… though it wasn’t really a castle but let a girl dream.

“Kei Kei!”  Rico got his attention.  “ _ Feliz Navidad. _ ”  Rico said happily.  Keith nods at Rico.

“Yeah,  _ Feliz Navidad Rico. _ ”  Keith repeats Rico, knowing what that meant at least.  The two kids bounce in joy, Lance thought it was cute.  His little siblings really love him, well Sam didn’t like him.  He was trying to ignore the whole conversation by watching TV.

“ _ ¿Es que Keith? Quiero verlo, quiero decir hola. _ ”  Rosa got up and walked towards the phone.  Lance held it up to Rosa, Keith immediately froze.  He had no idea how to communicate with this lady.  She had a determined smile on her face.  “ _ ¡He estado practicando a mi inglés! _ ”

“ _ Realmente ahora. _ ”  Lance said sarcastically.  He wasn’t buying it.  Rosa smacks his head and clears her throat.  A moment of silence.

“Ello Keith, is very nice to see you again.  I hope you are having good time with family.  Hopefelly we see each other again.”  Lance looked at his Abuela in shock, she sure showed him.  Keith looks at Rosa and nods.

“Yeah.  H-Hold up, I’ve been practicing this.”  Keith said, he took a deep breath and spoke.  “ _ Fue agradable conocerte a Rosa, gracias por ser tan agradable para mí. ¡Tener una feliz Navidad! _ ”  Keith said happily, hoping that he didn’t mess up.  Lance and Rosa gave Keith a wide eyed look, he messed up didn’t he?

“Oh my God… I am so PROUD OF YOU!”  Lance shouts.  “You didn’t stutter or mess up, or anything.  You said it perfectly Keith!”

“I-I did?”

“Yes!  Oh  _ ¡es maravilloso, hermoso muchacho! Eso fue increíble!   _ Y-You’re amazing…”  Lance smiles, Keith felt his face get hot.  He couldn’t help but smile at that, it was a dumb, dorky smile, but he couldn’t stop it.  Sarah reached for the phone.

“Mamá wants to talk to Princess!”  She said.  Lance groans.

“Bring that phone to me right now!  I wanna see my boy, I’m worried about him!”  Isabella shouts from the kitchen.  Lance gave his phone to Sarah, she and Rico ran to the kitchen to let the two talk.  Rosa looks at her Grandson and smiles.

“ _ Dos realmente quieres, no? _ ”  She asks.  Lance kicks at the ground a bit.

“ _ No llevan al principio. Luché mucho con él. Pero luego hablamos un poco y aprendí que no era una mala persona. Se sentía como él necesitaba a alguien en su vida, así que intenté amistad con le. Él mantuvo empujándome lejos... pero de alguna manera nos hicimos amigos después de un tiempo. _ ”  He explained to his Abuela.  “ _ Me dijo que fue su primer amigo. _ ”

“ _ Usted nunca dio para arriba ¿EH? Obstinada. _ ”  She teases, Lance gave Rosa a look.  She started to laugh.  “ _ Estoy tan orgullosa de ti, Lance. _ ”

“ _ Fue de la nada. ¿Por qué? _ ”  Lance asks.  Rosa smiles at him.

“ _ He escuchado sobre lo que sucedió tras la muerte de Rebecca, mi nieto. Has perdido a tu hermana y para colmo tu mamá me dijo que Jesús regresaron y las cosas fueron volviendo al infierno. Dijo puñetazos para protegerla, y se hizo cargo de la casa. Incluso tiene un trabajo para ayudar a pagar todo. _ ”  She said, Lance felt a little embarrassed by this.

She continued to speak.

“ _ Usted ha sido cuidando de sus hermanos, con su trabajo de la escuela. Y.... Has encontrado a una persona muy buena en todo esto. _ ”  She pats his shoulder.  Lance smiles at his Abuela and nods.

“ _ Creo que sí. _ ”

“ _ Has convertido en un fino joven Lance. ¡Y un guapo! _ ”  She pinches his cheeks playfully.  He groans and pulls back.

“ _ Ah... Abuela. _ ”  He held his cheek and looks away.  Rosa only laughs at her Grandson.  He looks back at her and smiles, it was funny how his mom was telling his Abuela all about all the things he’s done.  Isabella was just as proud of her son as Rosa, maybe more.

Sarah came back with the phone and held it up to Lance.  Keith was still on.

“Your mom worries too much.”

“I heard that Keith!”  She shouts from the kitchen.

“Bite me!”  He shouts back, Lance rolls his eyes again.  “Listen I’m gonna have to go.”

“Oh that’s too bad.  Everyone here misses you, I’m sure they want to talk still, right Sam?”

“Tell him to go suck a dick.”  Sam said in a bored tone.

“You know I’ll happily do that, piece of shit!”  Keith shouts at Sam.  Lance laughs at the two.

“Well good luck.”

“Thanks, see ya when I get back.”

“Yeah.”  They hung up.  Lance put his phone in his pocket and walked towards the kitchen, he completely forgot his medication.  He took the last pill out and stared at it.  “That’s odd.”

“What’s odd?”

“I ran out pretty fast.”  Lance peaks into the empty bottle.  “It usually lasts a while, I mean these pills are tiny.”

“Weird.”  Isabella nods.  “We’ll go tomorrow morning to refill.”

“Kay.”  Lance took his medication and went back to sit with his family.

* * *

Keith sat on the couch while the rest of Allura’s family and, for some odd reason, friends come in.  Allura and Shiro sat next to Keith who was still next to Haggar.  Those two didn’t move at all.  As soon as everyone was in Alfor began to speak.

“Hello everyone.  I am very pleased to see you all here.”  He said.  Everyone clapped, Shiro and Keith were very confused by this.  “We will start with our gift handout.  As tradition, the youngest goes first.  Surprisingly that person is our new fellow over there.”  He stares at Keith, now he was the center of attention.  He hated it.

“Come up here Keith.”  He said.  Keith looked at Allura and slowly got up.  He made his way to Alfor, refusing to look him in the eye.  Alfor hands him a long box.  “Merry Christmas young man.”

Keith stares at the box, his eyes grew in size.  He hadn’t received a gift since his 

parents, the Shiroganes, passed away.  He had to get on the floor to open it, he slowly pulled the box lid off and was shocked.

“Well?”  Alfor asked.  Keith pulled out a red sword still sheathed.  He stares at Alfor.

“Is this real?”  He asked.  Alfor points at it.

“See for yourself.”  He said and backed far away from Keith.  He removed the sheath and stared at the blade, he brushed it against his thumb to check.  It was real.  A real sword.  He began to swing it around, everyone gasps in amazement.  He knew how to use a sword.

Keith smiles in excitement and puts the sword back in it’s sheath.  He stares at Alfor happily.

“Thank you so much!  I-I love it.”  He stares at the blade with a dreamy look in his eyes.  Alfor nods.

“I had a feeling you would.”  He pats Keith’s head, he smiles and runs back to Shiro and Allura.

“Lookie!”  He held up the sword like they haven’t seen it yet.  They nod.

“That’s awesome Keith.”  Shiro said.

“I wanna hang it up in my room!”

“We’ll do that when we get home.”  Shiro said.  Keith nods and sat down, hugging the sword.  He practically fell in love with it.  It wasn’t his knife, and it didn’t have any special meaning like his knife, but it was a cool ass sword.  A blade in general.  He liked blades and melee weapons.  The rest of the time people got their gifts.

Allura got a crown, Shiro for some odd reason got a book on the history of wars.  He stares at Allura with a confused look, she shrugs.

“I don’t know why he got you that.”

“When have I ever shown interest in this?”  Shiro asks.  Keith looks at the book then back at his gift.  He pulls the blade out a little and smiles.  It was so cool.

* * *

“And up it goes.”  Shiro hung the sword up.  Keith stares at it like it was the coolest thing ever.

“I like it!”

“I know you do.”  Shiro walked out.  “Come out for a second.”

“Why?”  Keith followed Shiro out.  He hands Keith a box.  “Wha- Shiro no.”  Keith shook his head.

“Yes, Allura and I both bought you this.”

“But… I can’t…”  Keith said.

“You don’t even know what it is.”  Allura points out.

“But I never asked you two to buy me anything.  I’m fine with my one gift.”  He said, then he gave them a look.  “It’s expensive isn’t it.”  They look away, guilty.  “Now I’d feel worse if I didn’t take it.”  Keith took the box and rips the wrapping paper off.  He gasps, a DS.

“We knew you wanted one so we bought you that, also this.”  Allura placed “Heart Gold” in front of him.  He looks at the two and hugs them both.

“Oh thank you thank you thank you thank you!”  Keith said happily.  Shiro and Allura hug him back.  He pulls away and tore into the box and pulls the DS out.  He liked the color, and noticed it was bigger than Pidge’s DS.  “I’m gonna go play it now!”  He took the game and ran into his room.

Shiro held out his prosthetic arm, Allura didn’t look down but high fived him anyways.  They did a good job.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest chapter yet. It was so awkward switching views, just back and forth, back and forth. Also I love writing Keith when he's excited, it was so much fun. Hope you enjoy and I promise the next update will be sooner.


	25. Eternal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was so annoyed today, like I was soooo close to getting this chapter done at 5 but then I had to go to work. So yeah enjoy this chapter.

New Year’s night came by soon after.  Shiro and Allura watched the program they had for New Year's while Keith curled on the chair engrossed in his game.  The two looked at him when he started aggressively tapping the buttons.

“You okay Keith?”

“It’s the first fucking gym and I keep losing!”  Keith complains.  Allura scooches closer to Keith and peeks over.

“What is your starter?”

“Hyun-Jung.”  Keith said.  Allura raised her eyebrow.  Keith showed her his starter.  “Hyun-Jung.”

“You could’ve said Cyndaquil.”  She points out.

“But I named her Hyun-Jung.”  Keith said.  “So that will be forever what I call her.”

“You got a female?  That’s rare.  What does Hyun-Jung even mean?”

“It’s just a name, but if I remember correctly it means glitter or something.”  Keith said.  “I thought it was fitting for it.”  He kept playing the game and lost again.

“Get a Mareep.”  Allura said.

“You mean the fluffy sheep?”  He asks with his usual adorable, wide eyed look.

“... Yes… the fluffy sheep.”  Allura said.  “Go get a fluffy sheep.  It’s an electric type.”  Allura explained.

“Is that good?”

“Yes, electric types are effective against flying types.”  She said.  Keith went into the grass and found a Mareep, he almost killed it until Allura stopped him and told him to catch it with a pokeball.  He caught it and his face lit up.

“I caught it!  I caught a sheep!”  Keith said happily.  “I’m naming him Fluffy!”

“Creative.”  Allura went back to watching the New Year’s show.  They saw him smile happily and he looks at the two.

“Guys I won a gym badge!”  He said.  Shiro and Allura gave him a thumbs up.

* * *

Hunk ran up to Keith when school started again.  Keith just stood there and looked at his bigger friend.

“Hi Hunk.”  Keith said.

“Hey buddy!”  He put his friend down.  Pidge ran up and clung to Keith, giving him an upset look.  Hunk looks at her confused.  “Hey Pidge, what’s up?”

“Lance isn’t here yet!”  She shouts.  “Who’s gonna carry me to class?!”

“You can walk yourself.”  Hunk points out.

“NO I AM LAZY GODDAMMIT!”

“Wait Lance isn’t here yet?”

“That’s what I just said Keith.”  Pidge points out.  Keith groans and took his phone out of

his pocket.  He called Lance who answered in a sleepy voice.

“ _¿Quién es?_ ”  He said.

“It’s me dumbass!”  Keith shouts.  “Why aren’t you at school?”

“Hi Keith…”

“Come to school!”

“But Christmas isn’t over yet.”  Lance whines.  Keith hung up and storms off.

“I’ll be back you two.”

“Where are you going?”  Pidge asks.

“To get Lance and Sam.”

* * *

Keith knocks on the door of the McClain house.  Sarah answered and smiled.  She jumps up into his arms and clung to him.

“Princess!”

“Hi sweetie.  Why aren’t you at school?”  He asks.

“Cause Christmas.”  Sarah said.  Keith puts her down and got on her level.

“Listen Sarah, could you go get your brother?”

“Why?”  Sarah asks.

“I need to talk to my Prince.  Can I see him?”  He asks.  Sarah giggles again, she points upstairs.  “He’s upstairs still.”

“Thank you.”  He walks towards the stairway.  “LANCE YOU BETTER GET YOUR ASS UP IF YOU KNOW WHAT’S GOOD FOR YOU!”  He shouts.  He heard a scream and a door slam.  Keith’s eye twitch in annoyance.  He walked upstairs and knocks on his bedroom door, Sam opens it.

“Why are you here?”

“To get you and your brother to school.”  Keith said.  “Now get changed, and I know Lance is hiding in there.”  He pushed Sam aside and opened the closet.  Lance tried running out as soon as it was open.  Keith caught him before he could run out.

“NO!”

“Quit it Lance, you know you’re stronger than me!”  Keith freaks out.  “Dammit knock it off!”

“FREE ME!”

“I told you I would come get you if you didn’t show up!”  Keith said.  

“I WILL FIGHT YOU KEITH!”  Lance shouts.  Keith spun around and tackled Lance to the ground.  

“Get up and get ready.”  Keith growls.  “I’m not gonna keep fighting you, I told you what was going to happen.  Suffer with the consequence.”  Keith let him go and walked out.

“You’re so cruel.”

“Bite me.”  Keith said before he hit the stairs.  He sat on the couch and waited for them to come down.  Rico walks down and smiles at Keith.

“Kei Kei!”  He hugs Keith’s leg.  “Yous home!”

“I’s home.”  He copied Rico’s speech and picked the boy up.

“Yous home!”  Rico repeated himself.

“Yeah yeah I’m home.”  Keith laughed a bit.  Rico ran off and came back with a stuffed cow.  He smiles and held it up to Keith.  “Oh… uh… cool cow Rico.”

“Christmas gift!  I’s got it for Christmas!”  He said happily.  Keith chuckles.

“That’s awesome Rico.”  Keith said.  Rico put the cow next to Keith and went under the tree.  “Now what are you doing?”  He asks.  Rico crawls out with a small box, he hands it to Keith.

“What’s this?”

“Mamá and Lances got you this for Christmas.”  Rico said.  Keith’s face changed color.  He looks at the small box and wonders what was in it.  It was so light it felt like nothing was in it.  He put it in his bag and waited for Lance and Sam to come down.

The two walk down looking tired and pissed off.  Isabella walks out looking confused, she saw Keith and waves.

“ _Mi hijo,_ what are you doing here?”

“School starts today.”

“Oh… ah dammit.  Sorry you kids, go to school today.”

“But Mamá!”  Lance whines.

“But nothing.  Sarah get in the car I’ll take you.  Rico go sit with your Abuela.  Hustle hustle.”  She claps her hands, demanding her kids to hurry up for school.  They all groan.

Lance and Sam walk into Keith’s car.  Sam had to complain the whole ride to school.

“What is this piece of shit?”  Sam asks.

“My car.”

“Damn it’s a stick.”

“Yes it is, now quiet back there.”

“Turn the radio on.”

“It’s connected to my phone.”

“Meaning…?”

“If you want music it’s going to be what I listen to.  Driver picks.”

“Bullshit.”

“It’s the rules.”

“No it’s not, you made that up.”  Sam pouts.  “You probably have a shit taste in music.”

“No it’s in a language I understand.  I’m sorry, but I don’t want to listen to Spanish on the way to school.”

“American music is shit!”

“Who says I only listen to English music?”

“Cause you’re from here, dumbass.”

“Can you shut up?”  Keith was already annoyed with him, they weren’t even on the main road yet.

“Make me, ya faggot.”

“Oh I’ll show you fa- get the FUCK over here!”  Keith reached back and tried hitting Sam, Sam was screaming like a girl.

“Knock it off, both of you!”  Lance shouts.  “Jeez _manojo de hijos putos, te juro._ ”  He groans.  Sam pouts in the back.

“He started it.”

“I don’t care who started it, I’m finishing it.”  Lance snaps.  The car suddenly became quiet.  Sam tried reaching for the radio.  Keith picked his phone up and started the music.  Suddenly weird pop music began to play, the singer started and they were instantly lost.

The two brothers looked at each other, they had no clue what he was saying.  Keith started singing along just fine, which scared the other two.

“Keith?”  Lance asked.  “What is this?”

“Huh?  K-Pop… why?”

“K-Pop?  Isn’t that music for girls who don’t care about the lyrics, they just think the guys are hot?”  Lance asks.

“No… well most people only care about the singers lives and not the music, but I only like the music… I never remember singers.”  Keith said.

“How do you know this?”

“My family was Korean, duh.”  Keith said.  Lance gave him a blank look.

“You’re bilingual… and you’ve made fun of me for being bilingual?”

“No I’m not bilingual… Well I can hear it just fine and know what it’s saying, but I can’t read it, write it, or speak it well.”  That sounded odd.  “I- I only know a bit of Korean.  My parents were bilingual, not me.”  Keith explained that much.  “I know words like Mom, Dad, and other things.”

“Oh.  You have no right to make fun of me again.”  Lance said.

“No, it’s a rule amongst friends.  You make fun of them.”

“You cannot hang out with Pidge anymore, she’s a bad influence.”  Lance said.  Sam stares at Keith.

“You hang out with Lance’s hot friend?”  Keith slowly looks at Sam, death in his eyes.

“She’s my best friend… and if you know what’s good for you, you stay far from her.”  Keith went back to watching the road.  Sam stuck his tongue out and sat back in his seat.

“I think she’s a total babe and you both treat me like I’m a perv.”  Sam pouts.

“Whenever she’s brought up you comment on how hot she is.”  Lance points out.  “Of course we think you’re a perv.”

“But I’m serious, she’s a total package!”  Sam said.  “She can rock short hair, she’s cute with glasses.  She’s got an amazing body, and perfect skin.  I don’t know how you don’t see it!”  The two look at the weird teen in the back.

“I think she’s good looking Sam, but I see her as a friend.”  Lance said.

“And I’m gay.”  Keith followed.

“You’ve never tried hitting on her?”  Sam asks.

“No I never tried that.”  Lance looks at Keith.  “How much longer till we get there?”

“We’ve hit rush hour.  So it’ll be third hour when we get there.”  Keith said.  “Sooooo how’s your two week Christmas going?”

“Our Tio Juan contacted us.”  Lance said.  Keith looked at him with curiosity.

“Not to be weird but how many cousins do you have?”  Keith asks.  “I-I never had Aunts or Uncles… or cousins.”

“You never had cousins?”

“Y-Yeah…”

“Well mi Mamá has five siblings.  In order from oldest to youngest is Maria, Juan, Alejandro, Isabella, Lalo, and Paco.  They all are married.  Tía Maria has three kids, Tío Juan has five.  Tío Alejandro has two, Tío Lalo has four, and Tío Paco has one cause he’s so young.  So fifteen cousins so far.”  Lance said.

“FIFTEEN?!”

“Uh huh.”  Lance nods, that’s all on the McClain side.  The Sanchez side has more people, I think eighteen people.”

“How can you deal with such a big family?”  Keith asks.

“I guess it’s how Sam and I grew up.  We’re use to big families.”

“Like, how do you get along with everyone?”  Keith asks.  “I had a hard time with Allura’s family.”

“Well that’s family for you.  You’ll get along with them cause you always have them.  It’s like siblings, you know what that’s like though.”

“Yeah.”  Keith nods.  “Sadly.”  All three boys laughed in the car.

* * *

The bell rang as soon as they walked in, signaling third hour.  Sam ran to his class without his stuff.  Lance walked to his locker to start his routine.  Keith stood with him and watched him pulling books out.

“Why do you do that?”  Keith asks.

“If I don’t do it my day will be all off.”  Lance said pulling his literacy book down.  “Are you ready to go?”

“I guess.”  The two walked into class.  Everyone looked dead.  Lance laughs.

“Glad to see everyone ready for the day.”  He comments as he goes to his seat.  Keith sat next to him and waited for class to start.

* * *

Lunch wasn’t great for Lance cause Pidge tackled him down.

“AH WHY?!”  Lance cries.

“BECAUSE I HAD TO WALK TO CLASS!”  Pidge shouts, Hunk watches the two and continued eating.

“Where were you Lance?”

“At home celebrating Christmas.   _¡HAZ DE MÍ PIDGE!_ ”  Lance tried throwing her off.

“NO, YOU CAN’T KICK ME OFF!”  She shouts.  “STOP IT!”  Keith walks up and sat down across from Hunk.  They watched the two fight each other.  Finally Lance got the little gremlin off.  The two sat down, Lance forgot to pack anything so he was stuck with no food.  No one took pity on him.

“I was dragged away from Christmas for this.”

“Christmas is over.”  Pidge said.

“No not for him.”  Keith points at Lance.  “He celebrates it till the sixth.”  Keith went back to eating while Lance gave him a sad look.  “No I ain’t sharing.”

“You are so fucking me to me.  I thought we were friends, you horrible little man.”

“Kiss my ass.”  Keith continued to eat.  Pidge rolls her eyes and took out her DS.  Keith got her attention by smacking the table with all his might.

“What?”  She asks calmly.  Keith pulls out his DS and smiles, her face dropped.  “Y-You got one?  AW fuck you, you got the newer one and it’s an XL!”  She said.  Keith smiles and turned it on.

“Lookie!”  He shows her his team on Heart Gold.  She tried so hard to not laugh at the nicknames.

“Nice.”  She nods, Lance looks over at Keith’s team.  He laughed at the names.

“Fluffy?”  He asks.  “Cute name for a Flaaffy.”

“Shut up!”  He pushes Lance away.  “I beat two gyms already!”

“Heh…”

“Lance shut up, I am new to this!”  Keith shouts in embarrassment.

“Hey I think it’s cute that you’re this excited.”  Lance admits.  “It makes me want to play one of my games.”  Lance said.  Keith cocks his head to the side.

“Do you have a pokemon game?”

“Several.”  Lance said.  “Like I have X…”

“Kalos sucks.”  Pidge said.

“Hey I think it’s okay.”

“Not as good as Sun and Moon, damn those were amazing!”  Pidge fangirls over them.  “Oh my precious babies~”

“I don’t have that game.”  Lance pouts.  Pidge smirks and went on to playing whatever game she had.  Keith looks at Lance with a happy smile.

“What’s X like?”

“I’ll show you when you come over again.”  Lance pats Keith’s head.  Pidge and Hunk stared at the two with a bored look.

“It’s a little unfair that you know where Lance lives, but he knows where we live.”  Hunk said.  Lance looks at his best friend.

“Uh one, my house sucks and I was a little uncomfortable bringing Keith over.  And two, I have no clue where mullet lives.”  Lance points at his friend.

“I like your house, you can sit on the roof and stare at the sky.”  Keith said.  Lance gave Keith a look.

“That’s the only good thing about it.”  Lance said.  “Speaking of home, I wanna go back home and spend time with mi Abuela!”  Lance started to whine.

“Abuela?”  Pidge asks.  “Why is your grandma staying at your house?  Why didn’t you go to her house?”

“Oh sure, mi Mamá should drag all her kids out and fly to Cuba for Christmas.  We don’t have the money for that.”  Lance said.  Pidge rolls her eyes.  “Hey, I saw that!”  

“Whatever.”  The group continued to eat and talk, Lance would be hungry until he got home.

* * *

Lance ran in his house and bolts towards the kitchen for food.  Rosa smacks her grandson out of the kitchen.

“ _¡SALIR DE LA COCINA, SE COME EN LA CENA IGUAL QUE EL RESTO DE NOSOTROS!_ ”  She chased him out of the kitchen, he cries.

“ _WAH ¿POR QUÉ?_ ”  He runs towards Sam and hugs his brother.  “I am so hungry.”

“So am I, but I waited to see what would happen to you.”  Sam said and turned the TV on.  Lance watched with him, Sarah runs over and sat in her older brother’s lap.  “By the way; next time your boyfriend comes over without warning, tell him to fucking leave.”  Sam hisses.

“Not my boyfriend.”  Lance said.  “Also I can’t control him, he’ll do whatever he wants.”  Sam pouts and goes back to watching the TV.  Sarah looks up at Lance with a shit eating grin.

“I know better~”  She sings.  Lance covers her mouth, she couldn’t get him off.  Even if she licked his hand he didn’t move.

“Having fun?”  He mocks her.  Sarah took his glasses off his face and threw them.  He screams and ran after them.  “HOW DARE YOU THROW MY VISION!”  He cries.

“ _No cubre mi boca._ ”  She hisses.  Lance came back and pushed Sarah off the couch.  She growls and sat back on the couch with her two brothers.  Isabella walks out of her room and runs into the kitchen.  She ran out giggling as Rosa tried hitting her daughter.

“ _¡ISABELLA REGRESES TU CULO AQUÍ!_ ”  She shouts.  Isabella ran into the chair and hid, still giggling.  They saw something in her mouth.  She took a piece of brownie.

“ _¿AW, estás haciendo brownies?_ ”  Lance asks.

“ _¡Usted tendrá una después de la cena!_ ”  Rosa yells.  Lance gave his Abuela big eyes, she points at him and went back into the kitchen.  Lance went back to watching TV with his siblings.

* * *

The cafe was so quiet that it made both Keith and Allura uncomfortable.  They stared at each other.

“Wanna play a game or something?”  Allura asks.

“What kind of game?”

“Dunno, what do you want to play?”

“You made the idea, you pick a game.”  Keith said, Allura pouts.  Then she had a great idea for a game.

“I’ll go in the kitchen and make a drink and you’ll have to guess what kind.”  She ran into the kitchen and made a drink, Keith had no say in it, but he was bored.  She came out and made her brother drink it.

“Um… Red Lion: chocolate latte and you added hazelnut to it.”  He said, then his eyes grew wide.  He held his stomach, Allura laughs evilly.  “YOU FUCKING BITCH!”  He cries.

“What?”  She bats her eyes innocently.  He whimpers on the ground.  “Learn to take your pill.”

“Call Shiro please.”  He cries.  Allura pulls her phone out and texts Shiro.  He walked in and immediately freaked when he saw Keith on the ground holding his stomach.

“WHAT HAPPENED?!”

“I gave him a drink with whole milk in it.”

“WHY?!”

“Meh, he’s fine.”  Allura said.  Shiro panics, Allura watches the scene go down, she was no longer bored.

Lance walks in and saw what was happening, he slowly left.

* * *

The next day was the same, going to school, suffering, going home, repeat.  Soon enough Christmas was over and Rosa had to pack up and head home.

On Saturday the kids were waiting for their mom to come back with a car to take Abuela to the airport.  Before Isabella came back Keith walked in quietly.  Sarah and Rico immediately ran to him.

“Princess!”  Sarah hugs him.  Rico walks over and bounces holding his arms up.  

“Kei Kei!  Kei Kei!  Up, up!”  He said.  Keith picks Rico up and spins him, the little toddler laughs and hugs the teen.

“What are you doing here?”  Lance asks.

“You said you’d show me X if I came over, so here I am.”  He said.  “What’s with the bags?”

“Abuela is leaving for Cuba today.”  Sarah said.  Keith looks at the older lady, who was quite happy to see him.  Keith walks over to Rosa.

“You’re leaving?”  He asks, almost sounding hurt.  She nods, she knew what he said.

“ _Sí, voy a casa._ ”  Rosa said.  Keith looks down and walks towards Lance, he hands him Rico and sat down.  Lance rubs his friends back.

“You okay?”

“F-Fine.”  Keith said.  “Can you show me the game?”

“In a minute.”  Lance bounced Rico on his leg.  The kid giggles.  Keith just watched.

“Do kids find that fun?”

“Yeah, I did this to Sarah when she was little.  Though it was an accident at first.”

“Your ADHD?”

“Yeah.”  Lance continued to bounce his sibling.  Isabella pulls up and Rosa got up.  The kids all helped put her bags in the car.  Each kid hugged her and cried.

“ _Adiós Abuela._ ”  Lance said as he hugged her.

“ _Adiós Lance._ ”

“Bye bye.”  Rico said.  Rosa giggles.

“Bye bye.”  She tried saying in English.  Sam didn’t say anything but he hugged his Abuela tight, trying to hold back his tears.  But McClain’s can’t hold back their tears, he cried.  Sarah hugged Rosa with a smile.

“ _¡El año que vienen nos vemos!_ ”  She said happily.  Rosa nods.

“ _Estoy seguro de que todo el mundo le encantaría ver chicos._ ”  She said.  Keith looked at her, then looked away.  She smiles.  “Keith.”  That got his attention.  Rosa walks up and hugs him, he felt uncomfortable but he hugged her back.

“ _Fue muy agradable conocerte._ ”  She said.  Keith nods, he was glad to meet her too.  “ _Próxima Navidad tienes que venir a Cuba, conoce a toda la familia._ ”  She said, Keith looked at Lance to translate.

“She says next Christmas you should come down to Cuba with us.”  Lance said.  Keith looks back at Rosa.

“O-Okay…”  He nods.  She pats his head and walks to the car.  The McClain kids kept

Shouting _Adiós_ and waving like mad men.  Keith waves quietly.

“ _Adiós mi dulce bebés! ¡Estamos en contacto!_ ”  She shouts in the car.  They all nod and kept waving.  “Keith!”  Keith looks at her again.  “ _Tenga mucho cuidado de mi nieto._ ”  Lance looked almost offended, and embarrassed.

“ _¡ABUELA!_ ”  Lance shouts.  Keith chuckles and nods.  He had no clue what she said, but Lance’s reaction meant something he didn’t like.  Lance looks away from everyone.  Keith smiles at Lance.

“Can you show me X now?”  He asks.

“Yeah, come on in.”  Lance groans and walks into the house.

* * *

Keith walked into the cafe at noon when it was empty.  Allura smiles at him and lets him sit on the floor.

"How was it?"

"I had to help his Grandma leave so we didn't hang out much.  Which is sad cause I wanted to see more of that game."  Keith said.  He took his bag off and reached for his DS, he stopped and pulled the box out.  Allura looks over.

"What's that?"

"I forgot about this."  Keith said.  "Lance and Isabella got me this."  He looks at the box and shook it.

"Well?  Open it, I want to see what you got!"  Allura said in excitement.  Keith opens it and saw a necklace inside with an infinity sign.  Keith's eyes grew, he read the message in the box written in gold coloring ' _Love is Eternal_.'  Allura gasps at how pretty it was.  "Keith it's beautiful!"  She squeals.

Keith smiles and puts it on, he looks up at Allura.

"Does it look good?"

"It looks great."  She smiles.  Keith held the necklace and smiled shyly.  His face changing a different color.  In his mind the message kept repeating itself.  

Love is Eternal.


	26. Swimming in the Moonlight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff and Stuff

Lance woke up earlier than his whole family.  He decided to walk down and watch TV since nothing better to do.  Early news was on for people who got up early, like bakers, so he watched that.  He didn’t care much for the news since it was always sketchy and he didn’t know what to believe.

After a few minutes Sarah walks down holding Rico’s hand, her usual zombie state and Rico barely awake.  Lance tried taking Rico but Sarah yanked the little toddler away from Lance and walked into the kitchen with him.  Lance sighs and walked back to the couch that Sam had taken up.  Lance should be wondering how the hell Sam ninja-d his way to the couch but he was too tired to think and was pissed that his spot was taken.

Lance laid on his brother and continued to watch TV.  Sam groans in discomfort, wanting his brother off of him.  Sarah comes back with cereal in one hand and Rico’s hand in the other.  She sat down on the chair and began to eat.  Isabella came down and saw her kids in their lazy state.

“ _ ¿Qué diablos está mal mis hijos? _ ”  She asks.  Lance looks at her.

“Sam took my spot, so I claimed it back.”  He said.

“ _ Lance, consigue su culo gordo de me… _ ”  Sam groans.  Lance lightly smacks Sam’s head.

“No swearing now.”

“You four are the definition of lazy.”  Isabella said.  “Come on it’s Friday, get ready for school, you can be lazy when you get home.”

“I have to work tonight.”  Lance whines.

“Learn to be an adult.  Now up up up.”  She got her kids to move.  They groan and walked around, trying to get ready for the day.  Except Rico, lucky kid didn’t have to go anywhere.

* * *

“Laaaaance, Lance Lance Lance Lance Lance Lance!”  Pidge about tackled him down.  He screams and glares at her.

“What?!”

“Hi.”  She smiles.  “You seemed to be lost in thought so I broke you out of it.  Someone has to save you from over thinking.”

“Get off of me.”  Lance pushes her off.  “I am smart thank you very much.”  He grumbles and continued with his routine.  Hunk and Keith came up moments later, on time like usual.  “Hey you two.”

“Hi Lance.”  Hunk waves.  “What’chu doing?”

“Trying to get ready, like always.”  He grabs his history and math book and closes his locker.  “So what’s up with you two?”

“Nothing, just trying to get through the rest of Senior year.  Then after that it’s nothing but summer vacation.”

“Then college.”  Pidge points out.

“Yeah… then college.”  Hunk groans.  “You have any ideas on where you all are going?”  He asks.

“You know where I’m going Hunk, the same school my brother and Shiro went to.”  Pidge said.  “What about you Keith?”

“I-I was thinking the same place.”  Keith said.  “I’ve always liked flying.”  They look at Hunk.

“Just engeneering.”  He said.  They look at Lance, who had no answer.  He stared at them awkwardly.

“Why you all looking at me?”

“You don’t know what you want to do?”

“Not a clue.”  Lance started walking to class, Pidge ran up and clung to his back.  His other friends caught up.

“What do you mean you don’t have a clue?”  Keith asks.  “There must be something you want to do.”

“Can’t really think of it.  I don’t know if colleges want someone like me.  I mean I’m a poor Cuban with a learning disability that can’t focus for shit.”  Lance said.  “So no place would want me.”

“I think that’s just bullshit.”  Pidge said.  “Get a scholarship.”

“What makes you think I’m getting a scholarship?”

“Many go to waste.”  She points out.

“Scholarships go to good students like you three.”  Lance points out.  “Not me.”  They all stare at him, this wasn’t the Lance they knew.

“You okay man?”  Hunk asks.

“I’m fine.”  He pushes Pidge off.  “RACE YA TO CLASS!”

“HEY!”  She chases after Lance, who was laughing his ass off.

* * *

Keith sat in his math class bored as all hell.  The teacher was talking about something but like hell Keith knew what it was.  He usually sat in there daydreaming and waited for it to end.  His teacher was strict and always harped on his students who didn’t focus, so Keith sat in the back and avoided him.

After a bit the teacher caught Keith staring into space, he walked up and stared at him.  Keith looks up slowly at the teacher.

“Wake up Sleeping Beauty.”  The teacher hissed.  Keith kept his usual cold stare.  “If you don’t want to stay awake then why bother showing up to class?”  No answer.  His teacher walked away annoyed at his student.

Keith went back to staring into space.  He didn’t like his teacher so he didn’t bother listening to him, talking to him, or showing any interest in his teachings.

* * *

Literacy class was quiet like usual.  Lance was folding paper making something while Keith was messing with his necklace.  Mrs. Boston was going off about the movie they were going to watch called “Doll House” so most of the students were just waiting for her to stop talking and get on with the movie.

“Done!”  Lance held up a paper fortune teller happily.  Keith just stares at him.

“Congrats you made something most elementary school girls make during slumber parties.”  Keith said unimpressed.  Lance stuck his tongue out and held it up to Keith.

“Pick a number.”  He said, Keith groaned, he didn’t want to play but knowing Lance, he won’t have a choice.

“Two.”

“One, two.”  Lance smiles and held it up again. 

“Six.”  Keith said.  Again.  “uh… eleven.”  Lance read it.

“The girl of your dreams will fall in love with you...”  The two boys were silent for a moment then both burst out laughing.  Mrs. Boston just stares at them.

“You two, do I have to separate you?”

“N-No we’re… we’re good!”  Lance said.  The bell rang shortly after.  They walked out together still laughing about the fortune teller.  “The fortune teller is never wrong Keith.”

“Tell your paper project I don’t believe in shit like that.”  Keith was still trying to recover.

“But the girl of your dreams~”

“There is no “girl of my dreams~” Lance!  There never will be!”

“Maybe she’ll be beautiful!”

“Not interested.”  The two finally recovered and walked into the cafeteria.  Pidge saw the two and noticed Lance’s fortune teller.

“Nice, you made something most tween girls make during a slumber party.”  She said in an unimpressed voice, much like Keith’s.

“Keith already told me that!”

“It’s true.”  Keith said.  “Guess what my fortune was.”  He said to Pidge.

“What?  You’ll be a millionaire?”

“No, the girl of my dreams will fall in love with me.”  That got the other two to laugh.  

“Wow Lance, that’s an accurate fortune teller ya got there.”  Hunk comments.  Lance held it out to Hunk wanting him to play.  After picking his numbers Lance read his fortune.

“You will get a pet.  Any pet you want.”  Lance said.  

“Aw, I want a pet.  I can’t though cause of where I live.”

“Trade me fortunes.”  Keith reached out to Hunk.  He shook his head.

“As much as I want yours, I can’t take it.  Your dream girl is waiting for you.”

“You fucking suck.”  Keith whines, Lance smirks.

“And you swallow!”

“AND I SPIT, BITCH!”  Keith kicks him.  Lance laughs and about fell off the seat.  Pidge and Hunk were covering their laughter.  “Don’t laugh!”  He looks at his other so called friends.  They continued to laugh, he looks away from them.

“Come on Keith, take a joke.”  Lance said.  Keith took Lance’s glasses off and threw them.  He continued to pout.  “ _ ¡USTED PERRA! _ ”  Lance ran after his glasses, he couldn’t see anything.

Pidge slowly took Lance’s lunch box and scavenged through it.

* * *

The group walked in and saw tires in the gym.  Pidge groans and hugs Keith.

“Bonding exercise.  The stupid tire bridge.  Stay with me buddy.”  She said.

“Don’t let go Jack!”

“I won’t!”  They clung to each other, Coach had to give them the look and walked off.

“You guys will be split into groups so I’ll number you o-”  The group of four hugged each other with a smile.  Coach groans.  “OR YOU CAN PICK YOUR GROUPS CAUSE THE MISFITS OVER THERE CLEARLY WON’T LEAVE EACH OTHER!”

“Yay!”  The four say happily.  They got into a line and waited for the other teams to be made.  Coach just stares at them.

“I’ll be surprised if you four win.”  He said.  They all gave him a thumbs up and got ready to play.

“Wait, WHY AM I IN THE BACK?!”  Pidge asks.  “Guys I’m fucking tiny!  I cannot pick these up!”

“Hurry and hand it to me Pidge!”  Lance said.  She picked up the heavy tire with all her might.  He hands it to Hunk, who could hold the thing with one arm, and he hands it to Keith.

“I am the leader of this group, and I will lead you all to hell.”  He said with a smile.  The rest of the group panicked hoping that wasn’t true.  Knowing Keith though, it was probably true.  They kept handing the tires to the leader and were slightly ahead.

“Now what?”  Keith asks as they hit the end.

“We turn around, Pidge is the leader.”  Lance said.

“Fuck that, we’re switching.”  Pidge squeezed behind Lance.  “You’re in charge.”

“Wait, why?  Why can’t you be in charge?”

“Because, now move scrawny boy!”  Pidge slapped his ass, he yelps and gave her a dirty look.

“ _ Me estoy moviendo, me estoy moviendo. Azotera de culo pequeño. _ ”  He grumbles and started walking back on the tire bridge.  They did complain the whole time.

“What’s the point of me being here?!  Like seriously, Hunk can lift that thing over me!”

“Pidge, you are in our group, you will participate.  No man gets left behind.”  Hunk hands her the tire.  She about dropped it but picked it up with a grunt.

“Can ya leave this woman behind?”

“I don’t discriminate.”  Hunk said.  She groans and hands it to Lance.  He drops it and moves forward.

“Hurry up!”  Keith whines.

“Don’t be impatient back there.”  Lance said.

“My Grandma can move faster than this, and she’s dead!”  Keith complains.

"How many dead family members do you have?!”  Pidge asks.

“A lot.”  Keith said in a calm voice.  “MOVE FASTER!”

“We’re moving as fast as we can, AND WE’RE AHEAD OF THE OTHER GROUPS!”  Lance points out.

“I wanna be done with this!”  Keith complains.

“Me too.”  Pidge agreed.  The group finally got done and had to wait for the other groups.

* * *

The McClain kids sat around that night.  Lance laid on the couch watching the TV when he heard his phone go off.  He picks it up and answers it.

“Hello?”

“McClain, we are having a group meet up, tonight.”  Pidge sounded like she had a plan.  He did not trust that.

“What are you plotting Pigeon?”

“Go to the old recreation building near your place, you’ve probably seen it before.  If you aren’t there I’m sending Kogane.”  She hung up.  That was freaking odd.  Lance pulled his jacket on and called upstairs.

“SAM I’M GOING OUT!  WATCH SARAH AND RICO!”  He shouts, Lance heard Sam’s voice faintly call back.

“ _ Me da igual. _ ”

Lance ran in the cold winter streets to meet up at the building.  He saw his friends hanging around the entrance.

“What is it Pidge?  And doesn’t Allura want us at the cafe?”

“She told me to leave.”  Keith said.  Lance looked back at the girl.

“So you’re wondering why I dragged you all out here.”

“Can I go home now?”  Keith asks.

“Hush up, we are here because this facility is owned by my Mom.  I snuck the key.”  Pidge held up the keys to the building.  Hunk looked terrified.

“YOU’RE MOM IS GONNA FLIP!”

“So?  Making memories here!”  She unlocks the door.

“Why do you want to make memories all of a sudden?”  Hunk asks.

“Well, we talked about college this morning and that means we’ll be separated.  So before autumn hits let’s make the most of what little time we have together.”  She said with a smile.

“I’m in!”  Lance ran inside.

“I guess.”  Keith walked after Lance.

“This is a horrible idea.”  Hunk slowly follows them.  Lance aws at all the equipment around him.

“This place is AMAZING!”

“Yeah, we have everything.”  Pidge said.  “Like in this room, a dance area.”  She walks in and held onto the bars.  “I thought it would be great to get Lance in here.”

“Why would you think that?”  Keith asks.

“Because…”  She held her phone out.  “I wanna see him dance again!”

“Again?”

“Who am I to complain.  I am quite the seductive dancer~”  Lance said in a flirtatious tone.  Pidge smirks and turned a random song on.  Lance listens for a bit then started moving.  Hunk began to film it, Pidge cheers.

“Work them hips boy!  Shake what your Mama gave ya!”  She shouts happily.  Lance took in all that praise and got into the beat.  As soon as the song was over he took a deep breath and smiles.

“Watch this, I’m gonna do a handstand!”

“Oh boy, this ought to be good.”  Pidge teases.  Lance ran and threw his legs in the air,  balancing on his hands.  Pidge was … impressed that he was doing it, the boy was freaking tall and he was balancing his lanky body just fine.

“I haven’t done this in years.”  Lance said.  “Glad I still have strength for it.  Can I still do it?”  He bent his legs backwards, almost touching his back.  “Yep, still can.”

“Dude are you made of fucking puddy?  How are you bending like that?”  Pidge asks.

“I’m flexible.  I had to stretch everyday when I practiced for dance.”  

“Dude I can’t even touch my toes.”  Hunk added on.  Keith had to leave the room, too  much for him.  First the hot as hell dancing, now flexible as fuck.  When that was all over Pidge  found her emo friend and hugs him.

“What’s wrong Kogane?  Couldn’t handle a little movement?”

“S-Shut up.”  He growls.

“You saw him bend like that and boom!  Out you went.”  She teases.  “You thought that was sexy as all hell, didn’t you~”

“I said shut up.”  Keith didn’t want to talk about it.  He could feel himself growing more uncomfortable.  Lance and Hunk walked out happily.

“Yo Keith, you okay buddy?”

“I’m fine.”

“Do men find flexibility hot?”  Pidge asks.  Keith wanted to fucking kill her.

“Yeah.”  Lance nods.

“I find it hot.”  Hunk adds on.  “Why ya asking?”

“Dunno, I don’t find flexibility all that attractive.”  Pidge said.  “Must be a guy thing.  Why do you find it hot?”  She asks.  Hunk went quiet, Keith refused to talk to her… Lance…

“More arousing positions when ya fuck them.”  Lance said.

“Ah.”  She nods, the other two covered their red faces.  Lance just went ahead and said it.

“Got anything else?”  Lance asks.

“Tons.  Weight lifting, rock wall, tennis, pingpong, badminton, a pool, a day-”

“POOL?!”

“Yeah.”  She nods.  “You wanna see it?”

“Hell yes!”  Lance jumps in joy.  Pidge laughs.

“Alright Lance, follow me.”  The guys follow their tiny friend into a big pool area.  Lance’s face lit up at the sight.

“I haven’t swam in months.”  He about cried.  “FUCK IT I’M GOING IN!”  He strips down to his boxers and jumps in.  The group just stares at him, he was insane.  They saw how gracefully he swam.  He hops out a bit and smiles.

“This is great, though the water if fucking freezing.”

“No shit.”  Pidge said.

“No, seriously… my boys are going north.”  He cries.  Pidge rolls her eyes, pathetic.  Lance got out and sat next to her.  Pidge just stares at him, eyes wide.

“Holy fucking hot as hell, you are in shape.”

“Hm?”  Lance looks at his friend.  “Oh, yeah… I was an athlete at my old school.  Swim team, and in Cuba I took dance lessons.”  Lance said.  Hunk points the camera at him.

“I never noticed till Pidge pointed it out.”  Hunk said.

“Really?”  Lance asks, Keith was glad Lance had shitty eyesight cause he was red as hell. 

‘Fuck why is he so hot?!’  Keith mumbles to himself.  Pidge tried pushing Lance back in, he sighs, slides back in and swam around.  The group watches.

“He’s a mermaid everyone.”  Pidge points at him.  “Mermaid.”

“Technically he’d be a Merman.”  Hunk points out.

“And technically you’d be a bitch.”  She gave him her usual sass.  “I’m swimming too, like hell I wanna sit here and watch him all night.  I’ll leave that to Keith.”

“Die.”  Keith growls.  She smirks and took her clothes off as well.  Hunk covers his eyes in embarrassment.  Keith just stared at her.

“KATIE WHY?!”  Hunk cries.

“We’ve been friends for how many years Hunk?”  She asks.  “You shouldn’t feel embarrassed.”

“WHEN YA STRIP DOWN IN NOTHING BUT YOU BRA AND UNDERWEAR I FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE!”  He cries.  She smiles and hops in.  Lance came back up for air and saw Pidge.  He saw what Sam was talking about that one day, she was very feminine.

Her short hair was straight down, her glasses were off revealing large brown eyes with thick lashes.  Plus she had an hourglass figure, Lance wanted to know how she could hide that, especially since she was an obvious B cup.

“Quit undressing me with your eyes.”  She teases and covers her chest.  Lance laughs at her.  

“Not much to undress ya little slut.”  He went back under.  Pidge followed and swam next to him, she wasn’t as fast as him so she had to go up.

“Damn he’s good.”  She pouts.  “You two wanna join?”  Lance pops up.

“Join us, join us.”  He smirks.

“I’m good.”  Hunk said.  Keith shrugs.

“Aw what the heck.”  He strips down and jumped in.  Pidge and Lance screamed cause he about hit one of them.

“What the hell Keith!”  Lance shouts.  Keith pops his head out and smiles.  Lance forgot how to breath.  He was beautiful, almost like a piece of art in Lance’s eyes.

Keith looks at him and felt warm due to the constant staring.

“Um… did I do something wrong?”  He asks.  Lance violently shook his head.

“No no no no!  You-You’re okay, just um…”  Lance didn’t know what to say so he just went under water.  Keith was now very confused.  He swam around without a care in the world.  Pidge got out of the water and walked towards a stack of towels, she wanted to leave those two alone.  Why?  Cause she's evil little trash.  

She walks back over to Hunk who was holding her clothes for her.

“Wanna go to the vending machine?”  She asks.

“Yes, I’m starving.”  He nods.

“It’s on the third floor.”

“God I have to work for it?”

“Yeah.”  She walked out.  Hunk sighs and follows her out.  Lance pops his head out and looks around.

“Hey where did the other two go?”

“Vending machine, I’m gonna go with them.”  Keith swam to the edge, Lance went under and pulls Keith down.  He yelps as he was dragged down.  Lance swims to the surface to laugh at Keith’s face.  “NOT FUNNY LANCE!”

“Y-You should’ve seen your face!”  Lance laughs.

“SHUT IT!”  Keith pouts.  Lance stops and smiles at Keith, even though his vision sucked he could make out Keith’s violet eyes.

“You are beautiful, you know that?”  Lance said.  Keith had never turned his head faster in his entire life.  His hair whipped the side of his face, the sound echoed through the room.  He just stares at Lance, completely shocked that he said that.

“I-I am?”

“So you don’t know.”  Lance teases.  “Well I’m gonna say it, you’re absolutely beautiful Keith.”  He got closer and moved his black hair out of his face.  “I’ve never seen eyes like yours.”

“You can barely see right now.”  Keith mumbles, looking away from Lance.

“I can see the color, I never thought I’d see such violet eyes.”

“They’re grey.”

“Man you can’t take a compliment can you?”  Lance smiles.  “The way they light up is amazing.  Also your beautiful skin, your dark hair.  You’re mesmerizing Keith.”  Keith had no clue what to say, that was probably the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to him, if not the most perverted thing anyone has ever said to him.

“Um… thanks.”  He could not look Lance in the eye anymore.

“ _ Eres tan bella, mi dulce. _ ”  Lance said in a calm voice.  Keith had to push him away.

“S-Stop it.”  Keith quickly hops out and walked to the towels.

“Why I’m just complimenting you.”  Lance smirks and followed Keith out.  He grabs one and wipes his face.  “I meant every word of what I just said.”  Lance pushes the towel off of Keith’s head.  He looks up at the Cuban.

“You’re the mesmerizing one Lance.”  Keith said quietly, Lance heard it anyways.

“Huh?  Me?”

“The way you move your body, it’s unnatural.  I felt so hot watching you.”  Keith hid his face in the towel again and walks away.  Lance couldn’t move, or think, or breathe.  How do you breathe again?

“W-Wait wait Keith!  KEITH COME BACK HERE!”  Lance grabs both of their clothes and ran towards Keith.

* * *

The two walk back to Lance’s house, Keith wanted to go since his home was closer and it was cold outside.  Hunk went with Pidge to her place for the same reason, also to help with Colleen in case she gets mad, which she will.

The two were quiet for most of the walk, till Lance broke it.

“You think I’m good looking?”  He asks, Keith hid in his hood.

“A-A little.”

“A little?  I called you beautiful and mesmerizing and you go on and tell me I’m the mesmerizing one.  What the hell do you call that?”

“The truth.”

“Really now.”  Lance started to smile.  “I think that’s sweet.”

“You do?”

“Yeah.”  Lance stops Keith and pulls his hood down.  “You’re still more beautiful.”  He said, Keith smiles brightly at him.

“Am I the most beautiful princess?”

“No contest.”  Lance leans in and kisses him, Keith accepts the embrace.  They pulled away and walked into the house happily.

However, what they saw when they walked in was completely horrifying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;)


	27. Weak Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the winner for guessing what this chapter is about it ALL OF YOU, JFC YOU GUYS!

Lance screams at the sight.  He rushed to Sam who was on the floor, pale, and barely breathing.  He cradles him and checked for a heartbeat.  He couldn’t feel for one.

“SAMUEL?!  SAM YOU OKAY?!”  He cried.   _“¿Qué ha pasado?  ¡POR FAVOR NO SER MUERTO, OH DIOS POR FAVOR!_ ”  Keith ran up and pressed his fingers against Sam’s pulse, faint but at least he’s not dead.

He got up and quickly called 911 while Lance kept holding Sam.

“ _ENCIENDE, ¡DESPIERTA! ¡DESPIERTA, SAM! ¡SAM POR FAVOR POR FAVOR!_ ”  Lance kept crying.

“Yeah, yeah he’s on the floor…  I don’t know.  He’s… uh he’s fifteen, I think.  I don’t know, I’m just his brothers friend!  Look we need an ambulance now!”  Keith was talking to the operator.  “Y-Yeah… Lance calm down.”

“ _¡NO PUEDO CALMARME! ¡NO PUEDO! ¡MI HERMANO SE ESTÁ MURIENDO!_ ”  He shouts, kept holding Sam close.  Keith walked over and hands Lance his cell.

“Sir?”  The operator talks.  “Please calm down, the ambulance is coming now.”

“ _Prisa... Es Samuel... se está muriendo…_ ”  Lance tried speaking but he kept crying.

“Sir I need you to breath, the ambulance is on it’s way.”  Lance took a deep breath and gave the phone back to Keith, he hugged Sam close to him.  Keith talked to the operator again.  Soon enough a group of medics came in and put Sam on a stretcher and hooked him to a breathing machine.  Lance and Keith ran outside and Lance asked to go with them.  They let him on, Keith held his hand and let go as soon as he was on the ambulance.  As soon as they separated Keith looked in the window and saw two little heads watching everything.

Keith walked in and the two kids ran to him.

“Princess what’s wrong?”  Sarah asks with fear in her voice.  Keith panics but tries to answer.

“Um… Sam had to go to the hospital.  Lance went with him so I’ll stay with you two.”  Keith said.

“Why?”

“He’s sick, okay?  Listen it’s late so you two should go to bed.”  

“It’s not night time anymore.”  Sarah points out.  “See?  One thirty eight in the morning.”

“Exactly, you two should be asleep.”  Keith picks up the two and carried them up.  Though it was a struggle since they were heavy.  He got them to their room and lays them down, they look up at him with big eyes.

“Will Sam come back?”  Sarah asks.  Keith tried giving her a pleasant look.

“Of course he will sweetie.”  Keith nods.  He about left when Sarah pulled on his sleeve.  “What now Sarah?”

“Can we pray for Sam?”

“Pray?”

“Yeah, ask God to take care of Sam.  God will watch over him.”  Sarah explained.  Keith had no clue how any of that made sense, he wasn’t religious, neither one of his families were either.  So praying was a weird concept.  Ask the imaginary man in the sky to create miracles.  But if it made those two feel better then he’ll do it.

“Okay.  How about you talk to God Sarah.”  Keith said cause like hell he knew what to do.  She smiles.

“Okay, put your hands together like this.”  She showed Keith how to pray, which wasn’t hard and he knew how to pray.  “Now lets bow our heads.”  Keith and Rico follow the eight year olds instructions.  “Dear God, recently Samuel went to the hospital.  Princess said he was really really sick and now Sam’s going to need you.  We ask if you will be there for my older brother and make him feel better again so he can be with us, also give us strength so we can overcome this issue.  In Jesus name we pray, amen.”

“Amen.”  Rico said.

“Oh… uh, a-amen.”  Keith said.  He didn’t know you had to say that after prayer.  The two smile at Keith.

“Goodnight Princess.”

“Kei Kei.”  Keith smiles at the two.

“Yeah, goodnight.”  He walks out of their room and downstairs.  He sat in the living room just taking in the solitude.  He hated it.  Whenever he’s at the McClain’s house it’s usually full and you can hear everyone sleeping or talking or doing whatever.  Now it’s painfully quiet.

He passed out on the couch, hoping that everything would be okay.  Even though the worst case scenarios were going through his head.

* * *

A light shake woke Keith from his sleepless dream.  He saw Isabella giving him an odd look.

“Why are you alone _mi hijo_?  Usually one of my kids is with you.  Where is my son?”  She asks calmly.  Oh shit… she didn’t know.

“Ah…”  Keith looks down, the lady already lost one kid she shouldn’t suffer anymore, but he can’t keep this a secret.  Isabella deserved to know.

“I’ll get them, _NIÑOS, ¡DESPIERTA!_ ”  She shouts.  Keith tugs on her sleeve.  “Hm?  What is it Keith?  You seem scared.”

“I-Isabella…”

“Yes?”  She sounded too bright, too happy.  He didn’t want to ruin it.

“I-I’m sorry.  I’m so sorry.”  He tried not to cry.  She was puzzled.

“Sorry?  What for?”

“I don’t know what happened.  Lance and I went out with our friends and we came home and saw… I’m sorry.”  He mumbles.  Her face grew in fear.

“What happened?”

“Sam’s… at the hospital.  He was near death on the floor.  Lance held him while I called nine one one.”  Keith mumbles.  “We don’t know what happened to him.”  Isabella stood motionless, she had to back up and hit the couch to sit.  She needed to comprehend what she just heard.  “Isabella?”

Nothing.

“I-I’m so sorry about this.  I’ll just go.”  He grabs his coat and about left.

“ _Mi hijo._ ”  He turns towards Isabella.  “You called the people to take him to the hospital?”  She asks.  Keith looks down and nods slightly.  “Then why are you apologizing?”  She asks.

“I thought you’d be upset.”

“I’m sad.  But you called the medics and watched over Sarah and Rico.  Thank you.”  She hugs Keith tight.  “No saying sorry.  You did what was right, and you didn’t have to do anything.”  Isabella lets go and pats his shoulders.  “Now I have to go see my kids in the hospital.  I’ll be taking the other two, you may go back to your family, Keith.”  She kisses his cheek and walks up to get Sarah and Rico.

Keith watched them get into the rental car and rode to the hospital.  Keith walked back in the house to grab his things.  He looks on the floor, seeing something almost hidden under the TV stand.  He picks it up, Lance’s medication bottle, empty.  It clicked.

“Oh no.”  Keith puts the bottle in his pocket.  He walked home, maybe he’ll sleep if he’s in his own room.

* * *

Lance woke up on the couch in the hospital room Sam was staying in.  Sam wasn’t awake yet.  There were tubes going through his body, the doctors practically cut him open to save him the best he could.  Apparently something happened to his heart.  Now he was connected to a giant machine, the sound of the heart monitor going became white noise to Lance.  He sat up and stared at Sam again.  He brushes his brothers bangs out of his face and got up to go get something from the vending machine.  A young nurse walked towards him as he tried to decide what he wanted.

“Excuse me, Mr. McClain?”  She got his attention.  “You know… we have a cafeteria, three in fact.  You can go there and get some breakfast, it’s actually not that bad.”  She said with optimism.  Lance shook his head.

“No, I want to stay in with my brother.”  Lance said.

“O-Oh… well okay.  But if you change your mind it’s on the right, near the children’s hospital.”  She points in the direction of the cafeteria, Lance nods and went back to looking at the vending machine.  Another nurse comes up, he looked terrified.

“H-Hey Michelle!”  He said to the nurse.  “You gotta help, some crazy lady is yelling at the front desk and I can’t understand her!”  He panics.  “You’ve gotta help me-”

“Mr. Nurse man!  Come back!”  A young girl shouts.  Lance knew that angelic voice anywhere.

“Sarah?”  He looks over.  As soon as she saw her brother she smiles and jumps in his arms.

“ _¡Hermano mayor!_ ”  She shouts.  “Is Sam okay?”

“Ah… Sam’s fine sweetie.”  He lied.  She got down and grabs his hand.  He saw who the crazy lady was, she was still going off… in Spanish.

“ _¿Usted me está diciendo que usted no sabe dónde está mi hijo? ¡Digo mierda! ¡Me dices que mi bebé es ahora, y quiero saber lo que está mal con él! ¿Me oyes? ¿Estoy haciendo mi claro?_ ”  She shouts, Lance panics and ran towards her.

“ _¡WAH! ¡MAMÁ, MAMÁ CALMA ABAJO!_ ”  Lance cries and grabs his mom’s arm.  Isabella looks at her son and hugs him.

“LANCE!”

“Jeez Mamá, calm down.  Those people don’t know what you’re saying.”

“That one over there does!”  She points at a hispanic nurse.  Lance groans and lead his family to Sam’s room.  Isabella slowly walked up her son and kissed his head.  “You better come back _mi hijo_.”  She mumbles.

Sarah and Rico stare at Sam with a sad look on their little faces.  Rico climbs up and lays next to Sam, waiting for him to wake up.  Sarah hugged Lance, she tried so hard not to cry.

“Lance?”

“What is it Sarah?”

“C-Can we go somewhere else please?”  She asks.  Isabella pats her son’s shoulder.

“Take Sarah and Rico somewhere, we’re going to be here for a while, I just know it.”  She said, Lance looks down.  Great, now they’re going to live in a hospital.  Lance picks Rico up, he fights Lance, not wanting to leave Sam.  After he calmed the toddler down he grabs Sarah’s hand and walks with his younger siblings.

They found a little lounge area with a TV, a portable wii station, and a library with a lot of chairs and couches.  Lance sat down with Rico while Sarah pushed the wii station closer to them.

“Let’s play!”

“I don’t want to Sarah.”

“Play!”  She hands Lance the controller.  Rico played with one of the random dinosaur toys while Sarah and Lance played a rhythm game on the wii.  The two grew frustrated but both were stubborn and kept playing.

* * *

Keith stared at the ceiling in the living room of his apartment.  Shiro came in later looking at Keith with confusion written all over his face.

“Aren’t you going to work?”  He asks.  Keith didn’t respond.  “What’s up bud?”

“Sam’s in the hospital.”

“Who?”  Shiro was confused.

“Sam, he’s Lance’s brother.  Lance and I saw him passed out on the floor, he was almost dead.”  Keith said that in an almost calm voice.  That scared Shiro a bit.

“You shouldn’t sound so calm.”

“Trust me I was panicking when I saw him.”  Keith took the medication bottle out of his pocket and stared at it.  Shiro took it from him and read the label.

“ADHD medication?”  Shiro looks at Keith.  “Where did you find this?”

“Where Sam was lying.  I think it’s Lance’s, he has ADHD.”  Keith looks at his brother who was still reading it.  “I put two and two together.”

“Damn… how many was in this?”

“Dunno, they’re small pills so my guess would be quite a few.”  Keith said.

“That kid would be lucky if he survived.  His heart will be severely damaged.”  Shiro gave Keith the bottle back.  He puts it back in his pocket and stares at the ceiling again.  Shiro could tell Keith was worried about that family, he’s spent so much time with them that it was only natural to see them as family himself.

“You wanna go visit them?”  Shiro asks.  Keith looks up at his brother.

“Are we allowed?”

“Sure.  Let’s get Allura and go.”  Shiro said.  Keith got up and walked out with his brother.

* * *

Allura was ranting the whole ride there.  Keith ignored her by playing videogames, Shiro was unlucky.

“No one tells me anything!  Nope nothing at all!”

“Allura calm down, this happened less than twenty four hours ago.”  Shiro points out.  Allura looks away and watches the cars go by on the main road.

“This is ridiculous.”  She huffs.  Shiro gave up talking to her and looked around for a parking spot.

“This is worse than the mall I swear.”  He said.  Allura and Keith look around too.  Finally found one space and they got out of the car.  They walked in and looked around.

“Where would he be?”

“Let’s ask.”  Allura walked up and talked to the receptionist.  “Excuse me, we’re looking for a friend who is staying here.”

“Name?”  She asks.  Allura looks at Keith, he slowly walks up and mumbles.

“Keith you’re going to have to speak up.”  Allura said.  Keith took a deep breath and spoke.

“Uh… Samuel McClain?”  The lady began to type.

“Ah here he is, third floor section E.”

“Thank you.  Come on boys.”  Allura walks with the two.  “It’s been forever since we’ve been here, kind of odd don’t you think?”  She asks.  Shiro nods.

“Yeah it is.  I remember not having an arm.”

“We can still take that one off sweetie.”  Allura teases.  The two then noticed Keith who was holding himself while looking at the floor.  He was tense and uncomfortable.  Shiro grabs Keith’s shoulder and smiles.

“It’s okay.  Just breath.”

“I-I don’t like it here…”  Keith mutters.

“I know you don’t.”

“I want to leave.”

“Keith calm down.”  Shiro said in a calming voice.  “I know how much you hate hospitals but you’ll have to put up with it for now.  You want to help your friend?”  Keith nods.  “Then be strong.”  The group found the area and walked in.  Rico walks out of the lounge and noticed Keith.

“KEI KEI!”  He shouts.  Keith smiles and held his arms out, catching the toddler.

“Hey Rico.”  He said.

“What you doin here?”

“We came to visit obviously.”  Keith said.  Rico looks at the people next to Keith and grew shy again.  He cuddled into him and looks at them suspiciously.  “Rico, this is my brother Shiro, and his girlfriend Allura.”  The two wave at him, Rico noticed Shiro’s arm and his eyes grew into the size of saucers.

“Uh… yeah I don’t have an arm.”  Shiro held up his prosthetic arm.  Rico kept staring at it with fear.

“Anyways Rico.”  Keith got the toddlers attention back.  “Where’s Sam’s room?”

“Der.”  He points.  “I go get Lances, he’s in der.”  He runs towards the lounge.  “ _Lances, Kei Kei está aquí con gente rara._ ”  He shouts.  Allura and Shiro stare in aw that the kid could also speak Spanish.

Lance walks out and smiles at them.

“What are you three doing here?”  Lance asks.  Allura pulls him in for a big hug.

“We were worried about you and your family!”  She said.  “Why else would we be here?”

“Dunno, bored?”

“This would be the last place we’d go to if we were bored.”  Shiro said.  “Trust me, we’ve had our fair share of hospitals.”

“PRINCESS!”  Sarah ran out and hugs Keith.  Shiro and Allura were now really confused.  Kei Kei, Princess?  What kind of nicknames are those?  And for Keith no less.

“Hey sweetie.”  Keith said.  She kisses his cheek and hugs him tighter.

“We’re glad you’re here, now our whole family is here to see Sam!”  She looks over at the new people.  “Hi!  Are you Princess’s family?”

“Y-Yeah.”  Shiro was trying not to laugh.  “I’m a Paladin with a horse and this is our Knight.”  Shiro chuckles.  Keith punched his prosthetic arm, then shook his hand in pain.

“Don’t listen to them Sarah.”  Keith said.  “That’s my brother Shiro and his girlfriend Allura.”  

“Allura’s hair is _blanco._ ”  She said.  Keith nods.

“I’m guessing you said white.”

“Yeah… white.”  Sarah nods.  Lance got the groups attention.

“You guys want to go see Sam?”  He asks.  The kids run to the room happily, the other four walk there.  Isabella noticed the group and hugs Keith immediately.

“Hello again Keith.”

“Hi Isabella.”  She walks back to the couch and watched Sam.  Shiro walks up to Keith and whispers.

“How close are you to these guys?”  Shiro asks.  Keith nods.

“Um… somewhat?”

“Somewhat?  These guys are hugging you and kissing you, that’s not somewhat.”  Shiro points out.

“They’re affectionate people.”  Keith said.  They stare at Sam, he was still passed out.

“Damn… he looks a lot like you Lance.”  Allura said.  Lance nods.

“Yeah.”  Lance said.  “We look alike.”  He sighed and watched Sam struggle to breathe.  It was kind of hard to watch.  Isabella looks at Lance.

“ _Mi hijo._ Go get something to eat.”  She said.  “That nurse told me you’ve been eating junk food since you got here.”

“Mamá I want to stay with Sam.”

“Ap apapapapap.”  She snaps.  “ _Ir a comer ahora mismo. Voy a hacer Keith arrastrarte si tengo que._ ”

“Mamá!”  Lance whines.

“Go.  Keith, take my whiny son.”

“Really?”

“Oh my God you two!”  She groans.  Shiro grabs Keith while Allura grabs Lance.

“We’ll take them~”  Allura said.  “Come on boys, I know this hospital like the back of my hand.”

“Same, let’s go.”  Shiro drags them off with Allura.

* * *

Keith and Lance walked around the cafeteria looking at all the options.

“I always hated eating here.”

“Why?”  Lance asks, Keith pouts and looks around.

“Every time I got something it’d give me a stomach cramp.  I could never tell what I could and couldn’t eat.”  He said.  They read the menus and signs, one caught Lance’s eye.

“Oi.  Look.”  He points at it, Keith looks up.  “Ask about allergies and other illnesses.”  Keith looks at Lance.

“I don’t like people, so I’m not talking to them.”

“Do I always have to talk for you?”  Lance drags Keith to the desk with a young college woman sitting there.  “Excuse me?”  She looks up at Lance.  “My friend here is lactose intolerant.  Is there anything he could eat?”

A helpful grin grew across her face.

“Of course we do.  Just ask the servers what you can have and they can give you options.”  She said.

“Thanks.  Come on.”  Lance drags him off.  They saw Allura in one line and went up to her.  “What are you getting?”

“They have breakfast all day.”  She said with excitement.  Keith looks at the breakfast across from them.

“I want breakfast.”  He said.  Lance let go of Keith’s arm.

“You get that, I’m going to find something I want.”  Lance wanders off.  Keith looks at Allura.

“I don’t like being back here.”  He said.

“I’m not enjoying it either, but I think Lance is happy we’re here.  And by the look of his family, I’d say they’re happy you’re here too.”

“You think so?”

“I’m sure of it.”  She said.

* * *

Lance picked at his food, he got some roast and mozzarella sticks.  He wasn’t really hungry but his mom told him to eat something.  Also he spent twenty bucks so might as well.  Shiro sat across from him, the other two were still in line waiting to check out.

“You gonna eat?”  Shiro asks.  Lance shrugs and kept picking at it.  Shiro sighs and began to eat.  “I know this is hard for you, but you’ve gotta be strong for your family, ya know?”

“It’s getting harder and harder Shiro.”  Lance said.  Shiro nods.

“I get it Lance, we’re kind of alike.”

“Hm?”

“Well we’re both the eldest males in our homes, making us the man of the house.  We provide for our families, and we have to fake a smile so our families are happy.”

“You’re faking a smile?”

“Yeah.”  Shiro nods.  “I suffer from PTSD.  Since the car crash and all.  I’m just glad they still let me fly.”  Shiro said.  “You think they’d fire me or make me do something else, nope.  They said I was the best pilot they had, couldn’t afford to lose me.”

“You sound like you’re popular.”  Lance teased.  Shiro chuckles a bit.

“Yeah, well… I guess.”  Shiro said.  “I can’t wait for Keith to come in and work, he’ll kick me out of the job.”

“What do you mean by that?”  Lance asks.  Shiro smiles and put his fork down.

“Keith is incredible when it comes to flying.  He’s a natural.”  Shiro said.  “When he was thirteen our father took us to see the station and to fly on one of the ships.  He was a pilot himself.”  Shiro explained.  “So I went first and he had to instruct me and after explaining it to me for the tenth time I got it.  Keith however… he started it up and just… got it.  He knew what to do.”

“Really?”  Lance was actually impressed.

“Yeah.”  Keith and Allura walk up after that, Allura walks around and sat next to Lance.  “Maybe Keith can take you out sometime.”

“Take him where?”  Keith asks sitting next to his brother.

“Out flying.”  Shiro said with a smirk, Keith shot a glare.

“Did you seriously tell him?”

“I didn’t know you were a natural.”  Lance said with a smile.  “I’d love to go sometime.”

“No.”  Keith pouts.  “I refuse.”

“Why not?”  Lance asks.  “Shiro talked about how you’re really skilled at flying.  I would love to fly sometime.”  He sounded hurt.  Keith still refused.

“No, not happening.”  Keith said.

“Well fine then.”  Lance went back to picking.  “I see how this is.”  Shiro and Allura chuckle at the two and went back to eating.  Allura tries to talk to Lance.

“So um… how old is your brother?”

“Sam?  He’s fifteen.”  Lance said.

“Fifteen huh?”  She said.  “Shiro said he’s lucky he’s alive.  I mean that boy looks more like a string bean then Keith.”  

“Hey!”  Keith shouts.  Lance was more interested in what Shiro had said.

“What do you mean he’s lucky to be alive?”  Lance asks in a scared tone.  Shiro looks up at Lance.

“Lance, you take medication right?”

“Yeah?”

“How big are the pills?”

“Tiny, like this big.”  Lance about pinched his finger and thumb together.

“Did you recently refill?”

“Uh huh.  It takes a while for them to run out.  Why are you asking?”  Lance asks.  Shiro looks at Keith.

“Would you like to show him?”  He asks.  Keith hesitates, but he reached into his pocket and pulls out the medicine bottle.  Lance’s eyes grew wide.

“Where did you find this?!”  Lance asks in a panic.

“Near where Sam was lying.  I-I put two and two together.”  He gave the bottle to Lance, he covered his mouth.  Keith didn’t know what the medication did for someone who couldn’t take it.  Allura was in the same boat.

“What’s wrong Lance?  What do they do?”  She asks.  Lance shook his head.

“He took all of them?”

“As far as we know, yes.”  Shiro nods.  Lance tried to hold back tears.

“ _Mi Mamá_ told me to keep this away from my siblings.  It accelerates their heart rate.”  He cries.  “ _No es de extrañar que no podía sentir un latido del corazón._ ”  Allura rubs his back.

“Hey, he’s here now.  He’ll get better.”  She said.  Lance shook his head.

“I was told to keep it away… he’s been stealing my pills.”  He sat there with his head low, he felt like he had failed his brother and himself.  Allura gave a sad look, but tried staying positive.  She smiles and tried being kind.

“You want to finish eating?”  She asks.  He shook his head.  Allura pushed his plate away.  “You want to see your Mamá?”  He nods.  “Let’s go.”  She lead Lance back to Sam’s room.  Keith looked at Shiro.

“I feel bad now.”

“Don’t.  Lance had every right to know.”  Shiro said.  Keith looked down.

“But he started crying.”

“Keith, he needed to know.  Also you said you were comfortable showing him.”  Shiro points out.

“I didn’t think he’d cry.”  Keith said.  Shiro sighs and kept eating.  “I shouldn’t have shown him.”

“You love him, right?”  Shiro asks.  Keith could feel his face heat up, but he nods.

“Y-Yeah.”

“Then it’s best to not hide anything from him.  It’s better to tell him then keep it a secret.”  Shiro said.  “Trust me, when I don’t tell Allura something I feel like I’m one step closer to death.”

“But she’s your girlfriend.  You have to tell her things.”

“I love her enough to tell her, either that or I value my life.  You don’t feel the same about Lance?”  He asks almost in a smug voice.  Keith pouts and looks away from his brother.  “Everything will be alright Keith.  Trust me, Sam will get better.”

“You sure?”

“Sure.”  Allura ran back and threw Lance’s food in a carry out box.

“I’ll be back, don’t go anywhere!”  She shouts and ran back to where she came from.  Keith and Shiro look at each other then back at the doorway.

* * *

“Here ya go.”  Allura hands Lance his food.  He took it and put it down.

“Thanks Allura.”

“No problem.  I’m gonna go eat again so you stay put and try to eat.”  Lance said nothing.  Isabella grabs his leg and smiles at Allura.

“ _Gracias_ Allura.”  She said.  “He’ll eat soon enough.”  Allura nods at Isabella and runs back to the cafeteria.  Lance looked at Sam feeling awful.  “Sweetie it isn’t your fault.  I have a feeling it’s those dumb kids he’s been hanging out with.”

“I was told to keep this away from them.  Now look… I feel like I failed him.”  Lance said in a sad tone.

“He’ll be fine _mi hijo._ Just wait and see.”  She said.  Lance didn’t say anything, he just sat there in sadness.  Isabella got up and smiled.  “Well it’s a switch off.  I’m taking the kids down now.  You stay with Sam in case he wakes up.”

“Okay.”  Lance nods.  Isabella walks out, she got the younger two and went to the cafeteria.  Lance sat there with Sam, waiting for him to wake up.  Nothing… not a thing from Sam.

Lance stared at the ceiling just waiting for something to happen.  He heard a cough from Sam, Lance jolts up and looked at his brother.  Sam’s blue eyes flutter open, Lance about cried in joy.

Thank God he’s alive!

“ _¡Samuel! ¡Oh gracias a Dios estás bien!_ ”  Lance cries.  Sam looks over.

“Lance?”  He asks.  “ _Oh ¿Dónde estoy?_  My head is killing me.”  He said in a weak voice.  Lance rubs Sam’s cheek and smiles.

“You’re in the hospital dumbass.”  He said in a playful voice, still full of tears.  “Keith and I found you on the floor barely breathing.  I-I thought you were gonna die.”

“Really?”  Sam said.  “Oh.”

“Sam.”  Lance grew serious.  He held his medication up.  “Why were you taking my pills from me?”  Sam grew quiet.  He shuts his eyes and took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry Lance, I didn’t want to at first.  But my friends… they said it made them feel fast and energetic.  I tried some too, I loved the feeling… I took too many I guess.”

"Too many?  Sam the bottles gone.”

“Oh… I put some in a baggy for my friends.  So I didn’t take the whole bottle.”

“Sam, this accelerates your heart.”

“It what?”  Sam asks.  Lance sighs.

“ _Acelera su ritmo cardíaco. Va más rápido._ ”  Lance said.  Sam sighs.

“Shit man… I didn’t know.”  Sam closed his eyes and tried to rest.  “You said Keith was there, right?”

“Yeah.”  Lance nods.  “He called right away.  It’s like he’s seen this kind of thing before.  One look at you and he immediately checked your pulse and called.  I was a crying mess.”  Lance laughs.  “You should thank him.”  Sam turns away.

“Whatever.”

* * *

The doctor came in while Lance’s family was still gone.  He talked to both of them, he had bad news.  Sam would stay a little longer, but it was for certain that his heart was weak now.  He might not walk anymore, his body could give out on him at any moment.  Lance looked at Sam who kept a neutral face, like he was accepting a punishment for a crime.

As soon as the doctor left Lance looked at Sam.

“I-I’m so sorry Sam, you might not walk or run or-”

“At least I’m not dead.”  Sam said with a smile.  “Sure, I won’t be doing the things I use to do, but hey… I’m living.”  He said.  Lance couldn’t believe his brother was okay with everything.  Lance looks up when he heard a knock.  Keith was there waving Lance to follow.

“I’ll be back Sam.”

“Kay.”  Sam turned the TV in his room on.  Lance walked over to his friend.

“How is it?”  Keith asks.

“Bad, he… his body might give out on him.  He’ll need a wheelchair.”  Lance said.  Keith sighs and hugs Lance.

“I’m sorry Lance.”  Keith said.

“It’s fine.  He seems okay about it.”  Lance smiles.  Keith returned it and shoved his hands in his pocket.

“Um… Shiro, Allura and I are gonna go.  I can’t stand being in this place any longer.”

“Bad memories?”  Lance asks.  Keith looks down and nods.

“Yeah.”  He said.  “Sorry.”

“Hey it’s cool.  If you need to leave then leave.  I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”  Lance said.  Keith smiles at him.

“Thanks Lance.”

“ _OI HERMANO!_ ”

“What?”

“I WANT TO TALK TO KEITH!  ALONE!”

“What the- A-Alright.  Go in.”  Lance said.  Keith groans and walks in.  He saw Sam sitting there with a neutral look, at least it’s not one of disgust.

“What is it?”

“Thank you.”

“What?”

“You called nine one one, right?”  Sam asks.  Keith looks down.

“Yeah?  So what?”  He noticed Sam smiling at him, a genuine smile.

“You saved me.  So I wanted to thank you.”  He said.  “You’re not a bad guy at all Kogane.”

“Um… well I…”

“I’m sorry for treating you like shit.  I was just… jealous I guess.”  Sam said.  “Lance loves you so much… I kind of wanted my brother back.  I mean, Lance is my role model.  He always has been.  So I felt like you were taking him from me.”  Sam sighs. “I was a fool.”  Keith looks down.

“I'm sorry Sam.”

“What the hell for?  You did nothing wrong, this is my fault.”  He smiles. “Hey where is Lance, is he close?”

“Oh uh…”. Keith peeks out and looks around. Lance was at the vending machine.  “He’s way down.  Why?”

“Cause…”  Sam started to cry.  “I told him I was fine but I’m not.”

“HUH?!”  Keith ran over and tried calming him down.  “H-Hey hey what’s with the water works?!”  

“Keith… I won’t be able to walk anymore.”  Sam cried.  “ _Mi corazón dará hacia fuera de mí. Había dañado mi corazón, me follan me!_ ”

“Hey hey!  It’s okay!”  Keith tried to comfort Sam.  “Listen, it’s not all bad!  My brother doesn’t have an arm and he’s okay!  Well he cried at first but after a while he made a joke about it.”

“Like what?”  Sam asks through tears.

“Um… Well one time I asked him to give me a hand and he threw his prosthetic arm at me.  He was laughing like crazy.”  Keith said with an almost unpleasant look.  “B-But I’m saying you’ll find something to laugh about!  Like… now you’ll get a handicap sticker so you get to park closer.”  That got Sam to crack a smile.

“Oh great, I get to park next to the old and fat people who can walk fine.  They’ll look at me and go, “oh what’s wrong with him?” and then I’ll feel self conscious.”  Sam said.

“So?  Go on your wheelchair and flip them off as you go by.”  Keith said.  “Like don’t even make a show of it, go by at a normal pace and do this.”  Keith walked by Sam not even looking at him flipping him the bird.  Sam lost it.

“I’ll keep that in mind Kogane.”  Sam laughs.  Keith chuckles and looks at the door.

“Listen, I really have to go now.”

“Kay… I wanna say thanks again.”  Sam said.  “You’re not all that bad.”  That got Keith to smile.  He nods and walks out of the room.  Lance walks up to him with a bag of skittles.

“Want some?”  He offers.  Keith shook his head.

“No thanks.”  Keith said.  “So Sam and I are on good terms now, guess everyone in the family likes me.”  Keith smiles at Lance playfully.  Lance looks back at the room then back at Keith.

“Oh… really?”  Lance asks.  “That’s uh… great!  Yeah… totally great.”  Lance being awkward made Keith awkward.  And Keith was already awkward enough.  He looks down and rubs the back of his head.

“Yeah… it is…”  Keith sighs.  “Soooo….”

“So…”  The two thought of something to say.  Lance leaned on his heels and looked away from Keith.  “I guess this is goodbye for now?”

“Um y-yeah… I’ll see you at school… whenever you get back.”

“I won’t be gone long… I think.”  Wow… this is really awkward.  Sarah broke it by running at Keith and hugging him from behind.

“Princess!”  She squeals.  “Come play with us!”

“Yeah!”  Rico runs up to him as well.  “Play wiz us Kei Kei!”  Keith smiles and got on their level.

“Sorry but I’ve gotta go home now.”  Keith said.  The two kids aw in disappointment.  Keith rubs their heads, ruffling their hair.

“I’ll play some other time, okay?”

“Promise?”  Sarah asks.  Keith pokes her heart.

“It’s a royal promise.”  He said, Sarah giggles and nods.

“Royal promise!”  Keith said with a smile.  “Well Shiro is probably waiting for me by the elevator.  I’m gonna go.”  He looks at Lance.  “You do not come back to school until you’re ready, okay?”

“Not my boss.”

“I mean it Lance, you about lost another sibling.  I know this better than anyone, stay here till Sam is ready to go back.  I will kick your Cuban ass if you’re back on tomorrow.”

“Ow… so mean my friend is.”

“I’m being truthful.  I may be beautiful, but that doesn’t mean I can’t kick ya to next Tuesday.”  Keith pushes Lance’s glasses up higher on his face.  Lance chuckles and fixes them.

“Okay okay.  I’ll come back with Sam.”

“Good.”  Keith said.  Lance finger gunned him and winks.

“Try not to miss me too much~”

“Trust me, I won’t.”  Keith teases, though inside he was screaming with embarrassment.  “Bye.”  He walks off.

“Yeah… … bye.”  He waves Keith off.  Sarah looks at Lance who had a lost look on his face, yet he was smiling.  It was odd.

“Lance you okay?”  She asks.  Lance looks at his little sister.

“Oh… yeah I’m fine Sarah.”  He said.  She smirks at him.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”  Lance looks back in the direction Keith left.  Sarah giggles.

“You seem like you’re lost in thought.  Is it because you’re in love?”  That sentence made Lance think.  

Keith has been with Lance through so much… he never once left Lance alone when he needed someone the most.  Keith was the one who got Lance out of his depression with Rebecca, the one who helped realize that he needed to be strong against his father.  The one who helped him with his siblings, the one who saved Sam.  Keith was always the one who was there right when Lance needed someone.

That made Lance’s heart flutter.  He can’t imagine life without him, Keith is such a huge part in his life now.  Lance froze at that thought, he can’t imagine life without him...  He smiles at the sudden realization.

He loved him, he was in love with Keith.  Hell he HAD been in love with Keith, but only now does he realize it.  Lance hid his face behind his hands and walked off.  Sarah saw that and jumps in joy.

“Oh my God… it’s happening!”  Rico saw that and stared at his brother, confused.

“I don’t get it.”


	28. Adjustments

After a week in the hospital Sam finally got to go home.  The family all sighs with relief and drove off.  Only difference now is a big wheelchair is in the trunk.  Sarah leans against Sam and fell asleep against him.  Sam smiles at his sister and lets her rest.

Lance said nothing, he was still unsure about everything.

Sam had heart monitor on his chest.  Tubes going in and out of the machine, a faint beeping came from him.  The doctor said he would need that for a while, maybe forever due to how much damage his heart took.   Lance just hopes that it isn’t forever.

They pulled up and Sam tried walking out.  He about fell over, Sarah and Rico caught him while he grabbed the car door for support.  Lance pulled the chair out and wheeled it up to Sam.  He groans.

“This is so embarrassing!”

“No it’s not.”  Lance said.  He made Sarah and Rico walk in with it while Lance helped Sam up the stairs.

“I can walk Lance.”

“Yeah, you say that as you about fell out of the car.”  Lance said.  “All your body weight is on me.”  Sam stuck his tongue out.  They walked in and watched Sarah and Rico struggle with the wheelchair, trying to open it up.  Lance let Sam lean on the doorway and opened it.  He wheeled it to Sam who sat down and pouts again.

“This sucks.”  Sam said.  He moved himself to the TV and groans.

“How am I gonna get upstairs?”  He asks.

“We have a railing for the stairs, you can climb it.”  Lance said.  Sam sighs and rests his eyes, listening to the faint beating on his chest.  Lance watches what’s on and immediately got bored of it.  Sarah crawls on Lance’s lap and fell asleep again.  Rico was the only one awake with him.

“How you doing Rico?”

“Isa watching a spider.”  Rico said.

“Cool… wait.”  Lance jumped to his feet, crawling up the couch.  “SPIDER?!”  He shrieks like the man he is.  Sarah woke up and looked at Lance like he was nuts.

“What’s wrong  _ hermano _ ?!”  She asks in annoyance.  He stutters and points at the spider, it was a full bodied one too.

“S-S-S-SPIDER!”

“Spider?”

“ _ ¡UNA ARAÑA! ¡UNA ARAÑA MONSTRUOSAMENTE ENORME! _ ”  Lance shouts.  Sarah looks over at the spider.  “KILL IT!”

“Lookie  _ hermana.   _ Spider.”  Rico said.  Sarah saw it slowly crawl around.  She got up and walked away.  Sam woke up too Lance’s screaming.

“What are you screaming about Lance?”

“SPIDER!”

“OH FUCK THAT!”  Sam tried to roll away.  “AW SCREW THIS CHAIR!  IT’S FUCKING ME OVER!  AHHHH!”  Sam shrieks like his older brother.  He couldn’t jump up, his legs were still unable to move.

Sarah comes back and put a tupper ware lid in the floor and waited for the spider to crawl on it.  She caught it and closed the tupperware.  She slowly flips it and watched the spider.  Sarah held it up to Lance who still screamed.  She walks outside and put the spider in the snow, she walks back in and put the tupperware in the sink.

The older ones sigh in relief.

“ _ Gracias Sarah. _ ”  Lance said as he slouched in the couch.

“ _ De nada mi hermano asustado. _ ”  She teases.  Lance glares at her and stuck his tongue out.  She giggles and sat on the couch next to him.  Rico looks around trying to find something to do.

* * *

At night the family tried going getting ready for bed while Isabella was at work like usual.  Lance took a shower while everyone was in bed.  Almost.

He heard a loud crash and a scream.  He immediately got out and ran downstairs, the source of the scream wasn’t too far from the stairs though.

“SAM!”  Lance saw him on the floor crying.  “Oh shit!  Shit shit shit shit!”  He helped him up but Sam’s legs weren’t supporting him.  He was crying Lance’s name quietly.

“Lance… my legs.”  Sam cried.  “I-I tried going upstairs but… my legs gave out and I fell back.”

“You can’t stand?”

“N-No I can’t.  They won’t work.”  He cried again, holding onto Lance.  He picks his brother up bridal style and carried him to their room.  The struggle was getting Sam on his bed, he was stubborn and didn’t want to give up his bunk.   They finally got Sam up and Lance covered him up.

“You scared the shit out of me Sam.  Next time call me before you do that.”  Lance scolds.  Sam hid his face.

“I gave out halfway on the stairs… it was so sudden too.  I couldn’t call for help cause I thought I’d make it.”  Sam said.  Lance groans and climbed down.  He got changed and passed out.

* * *

Lance walked with Sam to the bus stop.  Sam used his wheelchair as a walker, he felt so embarrassed that he had to use it just to walk around.  The bus pulls up.  Lance walks on and helped Sam climb on.  The bus driver looks at the two confused.  

“Samuel, what happened to you?”

“Accident.”  He mumbles as he walked to a random seat.  Lance sat next to him as soon as he got in.  Sam looks out the window, watching the scenery go by.

“Sam… you alright?”

“I’m fine Lance.”

“ _ ¡Oh Boludeces. Eres claramente molesto. _ ”  Lance pokes his brother’s head.  Sam sighs and looks at Lance.

“I just… I hate this.  I fucked myself over and now I look at me.  Unable to walk for long, I need this chair with me at all times, and I have a heart monitor on my chest.”  Sam pokes it.  “God’s punishment.”

“Sam, it’ll be okay.  I’m sure once we get use to all this, it’ll feel like nothing.”

“I hope so.”

* * *

As soon as they were off the bus Lance helped Sam open his wheelchair and walked into the building.  Sam hands Lance his bag.  Lance put it on his handles and walked next to him.

“How does it feel?”

“Stupid.”  Sam mumbles.  “I feel short.”

“Quit being negative.”

“Says Negative Nancy over here.”  Sam smirks at his brother.

“HEY!”  Lance turns away.  “Ain’t helping you anymore, piece of shit.”  Lance felt someone grab his back.  “Hi Pidge.”

“Sup.”  She notices Sam.  “What happened to you?”  She asks, Sam felt real embarrassed now.  He looked away from her trying to avoid all eye contact.  Pidge was persistent.

“Sam got into an… accident.”

“Oh.  Can I try something?”  She asks.

“Go ahead.”

“Cool.”  She starts running while pushing Sam.  Lance heard Sam scream down the hallway.  Hunk was there to stop them from hitting a wall.  Lance caught up to them.

“What are you doing Katie?”  Hunk asks.

“Lance’s brother is in a wheelchair.”

“I can see that.”  Hunk said.  Keith peeked out behind Hunk.  Sam was trying hard not to laugh at Keith.  It’s like he came out of nowhere.

“Sam you should head to your locker.  Might be harder to get your stuff now.”  Lance said.  Sam points up.

“Yeah, easier said than done Lance.”

“Go to the office and well… they’ll help you.”  Lance points out.  Sam groans and pushed himself to the office.  Lance looks back at his friend group.  “It’s been quite the change…”

“I can tell.”  Hunk said.  Lance walked to his locker and started his usual routine.  His friends hung out with him as he got ready.  As soon as he got everything done he leans against his locker.

“So what’s life like for you guys?”  He asks.

“Boring.”  Pidge said.  “You have a more interesting life so tell us something.”

“Oh boy, my life story.  Yesterday I came home and ate some chef boyardee and wanted to kill myself.  Then I took a shower and carried my brother to bed.  Then we woke up-”

“Okay ya smart ass.”  Pidge snaps.  The other two boys were giggling like girls behind her.  “You two.  Zip yer lips.”  They stared at her, then giggled again.

Pidge climbed on Lance and he walked to class.

“I swear I’m going to have back issues before I graduate.”

“Enough whining.  Move.”

“You’re lucky I love you Pidge.”

“Ew.  Love you too.”  She smiles and hugs him by his neck.  Lance felt like he was being choked.  That didn’t stop Pidge from hugging him.

* * *

After school was just as hard as before.  Sam’s body gave out so they couldn’t ride the bus.  Sam looks at Lance with sad eyes.

“I’m so sorry Lance.”

“Don’t be.  It’s not your fault.”  Lance said.

“It is my fault.  Now we have to walk home.”  He said.  Lance laughs.

“Dude don’t beat yourself up, it’s fine.”

“Do NOT tell me to not beat myself up, you are the king of that.”

“Shut up.  Let’s get moving.”  Lance started pushing Sam.  They made it outside before they found trouble, Lance groans and looked inside.

“Shit I forgot my bag.”

“How did you forget your bag?!”  Sam snapped.  Lance laughs nervously.  “Don’t tell me it’s because you were worried about me.”

“Well better go get it.”

“YOU’RE NOT SMOOTH  _ HERMANO! _ ”  Sam shouts.  Lance runs in and quickly found  his locker.  Thank God for Senior lockers being the closest to the doors.  He walks out to see Sam’s friends talking to him.  Lance glares at the kids as they talked.

“I’m telling you I don’t have any.  Even if I did I won’t give you them.”  Sam hisses.  His friends chuckle.

“Why not bro?  Want money?  We’ll pay ya.”

“No!  It’s my brothers medication and it did this to me!  You want to keep walking and act like tough shit?”  Sam glares at his old friends.  “Just leave me alone.  If you don’t you’ll be sorry.”  That got the kids to laugh.

“Or what?  What are you gonna do?  You’re in the chair Sam.”  They tease.

“My brother will be out any minute!”

“Ooooh so scared of your brother~”  They laugh.  That was it.  Lance took his shoe off and threw it at the kid's face.

“ _ ¡ALEJARSE DE MI HERMANITO, MIERDA! _ ”  Lance shouts.  The kid took Lance’s shoe and threw it back.  Lance caught it and walks up towards them.  They backed away a bit but showed Lance no fear.

Sorry but big glasses and skinny as fuck, not the most threatening.

“I said get away from my brother!”  Lance snaps.  The kid pushes Lance back.

“What are ya gonna do, Mexican freak?”  He asks.  Lance clicked his tongue and walked up to Sam.  “Nothing huh?”

“You’re acting all tough, I wouldn’t want to embarrass you.”  Lance said.  “Thinking you’re all gangsta.  My eight year old sister is more of a gangsta than you brats.”  Lance started pushing Sam.  They threw an ice chunk and Lance’s head.  Lance yelps and held his head.  Sam looked back at Lance.

“You okay?”  Sam asks.  Lance was fine, just his rage was built up.  Lance glared at the kids.  He picked up the chunk and threw it back.  They ran from it and laughed when it missed, even though they ran away.  Lance hands Sam his glasses and walked over to them, they wanted to fight so Lance wasn’t going to hold back.  “Lance…”  Sam whines.

Lance didn’t say anything, he punched the kid dead in the face.  The kid fell on the ground.  He moans in pain.

“COME ON!”  Lance shouts at the rest of the group.  “You acted like tough shit so come on and fight me!”

“Dirty Sanchez.”  The one he punched growled.  Lance picked the kid up by his collar and glared.

“Wanna say that again?”  He hissed.  “Call me that again!”  He shouts.  The kid distracted Lance well enough that another kid hit Lance over the head with a branch.  Lance dropped the kid and held his head.  He tried to take the branch from the kid but the group started ganging up on him.

“What’s wrong Dirty Sanchez?  Is it because you’re half white ya can’t fight back?  Come on half breed!”  They mock him.  Lance shot them a death glare, damn those guys don’t fight fair.  “Come on you dirty Mexican!”

“Actually he’s Cuban.”  The group froze at the voice, they slowly turn to see Keith smirking at them.  “Hi~”  He said in a sing song voice.  They jumped back, they couldn’t hide their fear from him.

“Alright so here is how this is gonna play out.”  Keith started.  “You’re gonna leave them alone, then you’re never gonna talk to Sam or his brother again.  Okay?”  He sounded to pleased with the situation.  Keith was a bully though, feared by all in the school.

“What are you gonna do Kogane?”  The guy Lance punched was still trying to act tough.  The kid with the branch held it out.  Keith took it easily and broke it over his knee.

“Now… let me go over this one more time…”  He hissed.  The kid tried punching Keith.  He caught their fist and dropped kicked them.  Another kid threw snow at him, he slowly looked over.

“Can we use weapons?”  Keith pulled his pocket knife out.  They screamed.  “I sharpen it all the time and I am not afraid to stab you guys.”  He smiles.  “Now don’t make me repeat myself.”  He smirks.  The kids hesitate, then they ran off.

Lance got up and brushed the snow off.

“Thanks Keith.”

“Don’t mention it.”  Keith smiles.  “You two okay?”

“I’m fine.”  Sam shouts.  “Lance could be better.”

“I am fine!”  Lance shouts, Keith touched the back of his head.  “AAAAH Ah ah ah ah ah!  Don’t touch it!”

“You got a bump.”  Keith said.  “Anyways why are you two out here?”

“We couldn’t go on the bus, Sam’s legs gave out on him.”  Lance said, then it hit him.  “Wait, what are you doing here?”

“Detention.  I got into a little fight while you were gone.”  Keith said casually.  Lance groans.

“I cannot leave you alone for a week.”  He said.  Keith smiles.

“You guys wanna lift home?”  He asks.  Sam nods.

“Yes please!”  He shouts.  Keith took Sam and wheeled him to his car.  Lance followed, Sam hands Lance his glasses.

“Thanks.”

“Yeah.”  Sam smiles.  They got to Keith’s car.  Lance opened the back door and helped Sam in.  Keith put the chair in the trunk.

“Thanks for taking us home.”  Lance said quietly.

“It’s no trouble.”  Keith said with a smile.  Lance looks away quickly, his head fluttered.  Damn his heart was betraying him.  Lance didn’t notice his leg bouncing till Keith’s hand held it down.  “Calm down Lance.  It’s fine, really.”  He said sweetly.  Lance nods quickly and looks outside.  

Sam noticed how Lance was acting, perfect time to tease him.  Yeah he knows his brother stood up for him, but siblings never let up on teasing.  It’s how they show love.

“Hey Lance what’s going on with your pants?”  He asks.  Lance squeals shoves his arms between his legs.

“N-NOTHING!”

“You gotta knife?”  Sam asks teasingly.  “You should’ve used that to fight.”

“Sam…”  Lance growls.

“Oh yeah… you don’t own a knife.”

“SHUT UP!”  Lance was embarrassed.  Sam laughs, Keith was looking at the road, trying to ignore the two.  He coughed awkwardly, Lance never felt more embarrassed in his life.  Sam snickers evilly, he looks at Keith.

“I think he’s hard for ya Kogane.”  Keith immediately hit the brakes, face red and eyes wide.  He froze in his spot.  Good thing the road wasn’t busy.  Lance covered his face in shame.

“SAM!”

“What?”  He asks innocently.  Lance groans and waited for Keith to start driving again, that didn’t happen for a while.

Finally Keith drove up to the house.  Lance got Sam out and helped him up.  Lance looked to his side and tried talk to him.

“Um… thanks again.  S-See you tonight Keith.”

“You will?”

“At the cafe…”

“Oh… y-yeah I… I mean I guess.  So see you tonight?  I mean you already said you would uh… um bye.  Yeah bye Lance.”

“Bye.”  Lance waves.  Keith drove off until he was out of sight from the house.  He covers his face and groans.  That was awkward as all hell.  Keith could feel his body growing more and more uncomfortable, he was so hot now.  How was he going to get home without someone noticing?  Keith decided to wait it out.

* * *

Lance smacked Sam when they got in the house.

“ARE YOU TRYING TO RUIN MY CHANCES?!”

“No.”

“KEITH’S GONNA THINK I’M A PERVERT!”  Lance shouts, Sam giggles.

“Well you shouldn’t have gotten hard over him touching your leg.”

“I-I didn’t get hard.”

“So something else is down there?”  Sam asks.  Lance hid his face and ran upstairs, Sam laughs again.  Isabella flicks her son’s head.

“Quit making fun of Lance.”  She scolds.  “He can’t help but like Keith, you shouldn’t tease him about it.”

“Not my problem he got hard.”  Sam said with a smirk.  Isabella looks up then started to laugh.

“Poor boy, he is so fucked.”  She giggles.  Sam broke out laughing, Sarah looks at the two confused.

“What does it mean?”  They look at her.  “Lance is hard… what does that mean?”  Isabella and Sam look at each other then back at the eight year old.

“Um…”  Isabella starts.  “It means Lance really likes Keith sweetie.”

“Oh… okay!”  She runs upstairs.  “HEY LANCE!  IT’S OKAY TO BE HARD FOR KEITH!”  Lance screams in embarrassment, Isabella and Sam broke out laughing.


	29. Broken Promise

The cafe wasn’t busy but there were a few when Lance finally arrived.  He was still a little uncomfortable about earlier that day.  He wanted to kill Sam and his mother so bad.  To top it off Sarah tried comforting him, making it worse.  Curse them for laughing at his misery, and for laughing at a mostly pure girl talking about getting hard.

Allura waves at him with a sweet smile.

“Hello Lance.”

“Hey.”

“How’s everything?”

“Besides Sam being wheelchair bound ninety percent of the time, life is great.”  Lance said in an annoyed tone.  She giggles a bit.

“You’ll adjust to it I’m sure.”  She said.  “By the way some big hipster thing is going on around here so they’ll probably stop in later tonight.”

“Aw really?”  Lance asks.  Allura goes back to her book with a nod.  Lance groans as he goes back into the kitchen.  He saw Keith on the floor engrossed in his game.  Lance watches over his shoulder.  “Man you really love that pokemon game, don’t you?”

Keith jumped and tensed at Lance’s presence.  He calmed down moments later.

“Yeah, yeah I guess.”  Lance sat next to him and watched.

“What’s on your team?”

“Uh… here.”  He showed Lance his team.  “Aren’t they cool?”

“The coolest.”  Lance said in a teasing manner.  Keith pouts at him and looks away.

“Well I think they’re cool.  They don’t need your fucking approval.”  Keith mumbles.  Lance laughs again.  Allura put a note in the kitchen window.  Lance got up and read it, another drink and pastry.

“Keith can you help with the pastry?”  No answer, he was still playing.  Lance put his hands on his hips and smirks at him.  He knew Keith was ignoring him on purpose, he was still pouting and avoided all eye contact.  “Quit being cute for a moment and help me out.”

“I’M NOT CUTE!”  He protests.  Lance hands him the note as he began to make the drinks.

“Don’t argue with me Keith.  You know for a fact you’re adorable.”  Lance pokes Keith’s nose, he scrunches his face up in disgust and looks away.

“I’m manly.”

“See, you saying that makes you cuter.”  Lance points out.  Keith took a donut and smooshed it in Lance’s face.  He took the drinks and put them on the tray for Allura.

“A Red Lion: hot chocolate add caramel.  And a Black Lion:  Chocolate Cherry Swirl.  With two bichon au citrons.”  Keith said as he hands them to his sister.  He walks back to Lance and took some of the donut off his face and ate it with a smile.  He giggles at Lance’s “done” face.

Lance wiped some frosting off his face and rubbed it against Keith’s face.  Keith made an unattractive noise and tried pushing him off.  Lance started laughing now.  Keith reached into the pastry box and pulled out a cinnamon roll and pushed it back in Lance’s face.  He screams and pulled it off.

“It’s sticky!   _¡Qué perra!_ ”  Lance pushed it back into Keith’s face, he was the one laughing now.  Keith’s eyes lit up, playful laughter escaped him.  Lance couldn’t get mad when Keith was acting like that.  He hated how Keith was affecting him, he’s had crushes before but not like this.  The Cuban tried distracting himself by messing with the silverware.  Keith stopped laughing and stares at him… did he do something wrong?

Keith peeks over his shoulder and watches him mess with the spoons.  He looked at his face, then back at the spoons.  That went on for a few minutes.

“Did I do something wrong?”  He finally asked.  Lance looked at him.

“No.”

“Okay?  Why did you suddenly back off?

“Because I don’t like getting pastry in my face.”

“So I did do something wrong.”  Keith points out.

“No!  I just…”  His words fade away and he went back to messing with spoons.  Keith backed away, Lance noticed how sad he looked… shit.

“I-I’m sorry… I’m really sorry if I pissed you off.  You seemed okay with it I thou-”

“NONONONO!”  Lance freaked out.  “Y-You didn’t do anything!  I mean I’m not so thrilled that I’m covered in icing and cinnamon, but it’s okay, really!  I promise you that!”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Liar.”  Keith spat.  “You’re pissed off and don’t want to talk to me, I messed up.  I can’t do one thing right and I mess everything up.  Why the hell do you still hang out with me?”  Keith looks down.  Lance shook his friend violently.

“YOU’RE FINE!”

“S-Stop it.”  Keith pushed him off.  “You’re making me lose my mind.”  He growls.  “I want to know what I did wrong!”

“Nothing.”

“WHAT DID I DO LANCE?!”

“You seriously did nothing wrong… are we really arguing over this?”  Lance’s calm demeanor made Keith scream.  He hated it when he was trying to be scary and people stayed calm.  He hated that so much, it’s worse because he doesn’t hate Lance at all.

Lance tried helping Keith, but Keith pushed him away.  It was way more aggressive than Keith wanted cause Lance hit the wall on the other side with a loud thunk.  He held his head in pain.  Keith froze and stares at him.

“What the heck Keith?!”

“I’m… I’m sorry.”  Keith whimpered.

“No it’s …. No that wasn’t okay.”  Lance scolds.  “That really hurt!  You know people crack their skulls easily right?”  Keith didn’t look up at Lance.  “That could seriously hurt someone, if not, kill them!  You need to be careful!”

“I’m sorry…”  Keith sat on the ground and held his head.  “I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry.”

“Keith c-calm down.”  Lance started to worry.

“It’s all my fault isn’t it… it’s all my fault.  It’s all… all my fault.”  He whimpered.  Lance had no clue what to do.  Keith never really acted like this in front of him.  A few minutes later Lance leaned down beside him.  He had to help Keith in some way.

“Keith?”  He grabs his arm.  “Keith come on, time to get u-”  Keith looks at him and panics.

“WHO ARE YOU?!”

“Huh?”  Lance gave him a look.  “Keith it’s me.  If this is your sick way of saying you’re mad at me it’s not appreciated.”

“I-I DON’T KNOW YOU!  GET AWAY!”  He screams, looking terrified.

“Keith what’s wrong?”

“Where am I?  I-I wanna go home!”  He ran out of the kitchen only to be caught by Allura.  She held him down the best she could.  He was struggling to break free.

“STOP IT!”  He screams.  “WHERE’S MY PARENTS?!”

“Keith calm down, it’ll be okay.”  She says.  Lance looked at what was going on, he had no idea what was happening but it was freaking him out.

“Where’s Eomma?  Appa?  L-Let go… LET GO!”  He shouts and tried fighting Allura.  She looks at Lance.

“Close the place up and call Shiro.”

“Ah… okay.”  Lance told everyone to leave and closed the door.  He called Shiro and waited.

“Hello?”  He sounded curious.

“Shiro… it’s Lance.  Somethings wrong with-”

“SHIRO HE’S LOST IT AGAIN!”  Allura cut Lance off.  He hung up after that without saying goodbye.  He rushed in moments later and went right to his brother.

“Keith.”  He started to talk in a calm voice.  “Come back… it’s alright.”

“Where is everyone?  Why am I in this city?”  He asks like he had no clue where he was.  Lance watched from a distance.  Allura gave Keith to Shiro.  She walks towards Lance and rubs his back.

“You okay?”

“I… I’m scared.”  Lance admits.

“I know, this is scary to witness.  Can’t believe he fell asleep here at work.”

“He didn’t.”

“Huh?”

“Didn’t you hear us argue?”

“Well yes… but then it went quiet so I assume-”

“He didn’t fall asleep.  After he pushed me he sat in a corner and then…”  Lance watched Shiro talk to Keith like he was a lost kid.  “Then this happened.”

“This is the first time I’ve seen it when he’s awake.  He isn’t getting better at all.”  She admits.  Lance looks at Allura, wanting her to explain what was going on.  “Keith… remembers the past a lot.  He has nightmares about them, then he wakes up screaming.  When that happens he forgets where he is and thinks he’s back in the past.  It differs in times, sometimes he remembers Shiro… as of late… not so much.  Where his mind is at the moment is about eleven years in the past.”

“What?”

“He doesn’t know who you are, or Shiro, or even I.  Right now he thinks his biological parents are still alive.”  Allura explained.  Lance looks back in horror.  Keith forgot everyone, and this is common.  He goes around like nothing is ever wrong sometimes, yet this happens?

“Did I do this?”  Lance asks.  “I mean we argued a bit and he pushed me, after that this happened.”

“He’s probably upset at himself.  That must’ve triggered it.  I don’t know how Keith works, no one does.  He’s a mess.”  Lance looks down after Allura said it.  He walks to the back and grabs his coat.

“I don’t want to be in the way.  So… I’ll see ya later.”  He said.

“Bye Lance.”  Allura said.  “Oh… don’t tell Keith about this.”

“Why?”

“He’ll get upset.  Trust me on this one.”

“Okay.”  Lance nods and about walked out.

“Hey!”  Keith got his attention.  “How do you know my name?”  He asks with legit curiosity.  Lance ran out, not wanting to see anymore of that.  He could feel himself crying, what he just witnessed was horrible.

* * *

Lance walked behind Sam as he walked up the stairs, he stumbled a few times but he got up okay.  Lance walks around him and opens their bedroom door, he grabs Sam’s hands and slowly lead him in.

“You think you can get up there _hermano?_ ”  Lance asks.  Sam looks at the ladder with determination.  He nods and began to climb it.

“J-Just stay at the bottom, in case I fall.”  Sam said.  Lance stays at the foot of the ladder and watches Sam so he doesn’t fall.

He made it to his bed fine, Lance sighs in relief and flops down on his bed.

“So what happened?”  Sam asks, Lance stares at the Sam’s bed in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“You came home earlier than normal.  Something happen?”

“No… nothing.”  Lance tried forgetting it.

“Biggest lie ever told.”

“No the biggest lie ever told was from Hitler.”

“Still.”  Sam rolled on his side.  “What happened?”  The two stayed silent, the only sound in the room was the faint beeps from the heart monitor.  “Lance…”

“Keith… forgot who I was so I left.”

“What?”  Sam sounded confused.

“We got into an argument and then… then he lost it and forgot everyone.”  Lance said.  “Allura told me it happens often.  That’s his sister in law by the way.”

“Oh…”  Sam sat there, trying to figure out what to say.  “So what are you gonna do about it?”

“Nothing... there’s nothing I can do.”  Lance curled up in his bed, trying not to cry.  

* * *

At school the next day Lance pushed Sam into the building and walked to his locker.

“How do you get up to the second floor or the gym floor?”  Lance asks.  Sam points to his bag.

“Open the little zipper in the front.”  He said.  Lance did and found a tiny key on a necklace.  “It’s a key for the elevator.”  He took it from Lance and put it around his neck.  “So I can go up and downstairs.  Just not on the stairs.”  The two chuckle at his lame joke.

“So what are you going to do about your old friends?”

“I think Keith scared them off.  I’m happy about that.”  Sam said with a smile.  “I need new ones, they’re partially to blame for this.”  He gestures towards himself.  Lance pats Sam’s shoulder and gave him a proud smile.

“Good for you, you deserve better anyways.”  Lance said, Sam nods happily.

“By the way…”  He looks down.  “Your friend… Pidge…”

“What about her?”

“She didn’t… say anything bad about this… did she?”  He looks down, face tinted pink.  Lance tried so hard not to laugh at his brothers embarrassed state.  Sam shouldn’t have any right to make fun of Lance if this is how he acts about his crush.

“No, Pidge didn’t say anything.  I’m sure she doesn’t think any less of you.”  Lance said.  “Hell I think the reason she pushed you around was because you looked upset.  Probably trying to make you feel less awkward about being in one.”

“You really think so?”  Sam asks.  Lance shrugs.

“Who knows, Pidge is weird.  I can’t explain that girls mindset.”  Lance said.  You need help with getting to your locker?”

“No.  I can go just fine.”  Sam pushed himself away.  “See you after school.”  He shouts.

“Yeah, your legs better work.”

“Oh shut up Lance!”  He snickers at his brother and started his routine.  He closed his locker and braced himself for the tiny one to cling to his back, which was right after his locker closed.

“Hello~”  She sang.  Lance looks at her.

“You have legs you know.”

“Yeah, but you’re free transportation.”  Pidge said.  She took his glasses off and points.  “Take me to class and I shall grant you the power to see!”  She said in an all powerful voice.

“Give me back my glasses you shit!”  He chuckles at her, she looks at him holding his glasses up.

“Promise me to take me to class?”

“Yeah yeah, now give me my glasses!”

“Here ya go.”  She puts them on his face, he had to fix them of course.  Hunk shows up with Keith.

“And you two are at it again, damn you guys should start a comedy show.”  Hunk said happily.

“Sure we’ll call it… “The Hispanic and the Pidget”.”  Lance said.  Pidge smacks him.

“I’m not a fucking midget Lance, I’m younger.  Not an adult!”

“So?  I was about this height at your age.”

“YEAH SHUT UP YOU LUCKY BASTARD!”

“Nah, I like to brag about my legs!”  He poses.  Hunk took a picture.

“Great pose Lance.  Bonus points for Pidge being on your back, right Keith?”  He said, Keith just looks at Hunk then back at the two.  Lance gave Keith a concerned look and walked off.

“I’ve got to take you to class before my back gives out.”

“What?  Class won’t start for another eight minutes.”  Pidge complains.

“Yeah, my back will give out in seven.”  As soon as the two were gone Hunk looks at Keith, who was standing in shock.

“Woah… What’s going on?”  He asks.  “You okay bud?”  Keith looked up at Hunk and shrugged.  He didn’t know what was going on.

* * *

“What was that?”  Pidge asks in class, Lance was working on his assignment trying to ignore her.  Sadly it was a group assignment and Pidge was his partner.

“Nothing, now drop it.”

“I have never seen you give Keith such a sour look.  Even when you two were “enemies”.”  She points out.  “What’s going on with you two, did you get into another fight?”  She gasps.  “Don’t tell me you two aren’t friends anymore!”

“That’s not it Pidge.”  He mumbles.

“Are you sure?”

“Something happened and now I’m debating something.”  Lance said.  “What did you get for question five?”

“I’ll tell you if you tell me what you fought about.”  She bargains, Lance groans and looked for it himself.

“... … … … Last night he had a freak out and lost his memory for a short period of time, I caused it and now I feel awful.  Can we drop it now?”  He asks.  Pidge gave him a blank stare.

“Are you fucking kidding me?”  She asks.  “Useless drama!  I’m done, done with you all!”

“What’s the answer for question five?”

“Find it yourself you stupid Cuban shit!”

“OW!  I wish you forgot me so I wouldn't be insulted anymore!”

* * *

Keith was trying to get Lance’s attention throughout third hour.  It was bugging the crap out of Keith.  Lance was usually so talkative and happy, but for some odd reason he was quiet and seemed upset.

“Lance… Lance what’s wrong?”  He asks.  “Was it last night?  Are you still mad about that?”  Keith asks.  So he doesn’t remember the freak out.

Lance felt so guilty.  He was the one who triggered it, wasn’t he?  And the way Keith asked him how he knew his name.  That was actually heart breaking.  He never wants to go through that again.

The bell rang, Lance immediately got up and rushed to the lunch room.  Keith was at his heels.  He grabs Lance by his hood and drags him back.

“Lance!”  Keith was becoming upset.  “What’s wrong?  You’ve been ignoring me all day!”  He asked.  Lance looks at him then back down.

“It’s nothing.”  He kept walking.  Keith grew more frustrated.

“BULLSHIT!”  He snaps.  He couldn’t say anything else, instead he kicked a random locker in frustration, denting the locker… pity the poor sucker who it belongs to.  He continued his tantrum until he felt calm and went to the lunch room.

* * *

“Ha!  I did manage to get on the bus!”  Sam said.

“Yeah and you about fell off while leaving.”  Lance points out.

“Shut up, I’ll get better at this, I promise.”  Sam said, Lance opens his wheelchair and Sam sat down.  “Thank God!  My legs were about to give out on me.”  He said happily.  “I’m getting use to this stupid chair.”

“Good for you.”  Lance said.  Sarah and Rico started messing with Sam in his chair while Isabella got ready for work.  She grabbed her keys.

“Okay I’m heading out you four be go- Sarah, Rico.  Sam is not a toy.”

“But Mamá!”  Sarah starts.  “He’s rolly!”

“Roll roll!”  Rico said.  Sam laughs and looks up at his mom.

“It’s okay Mamá.”

“Just let them know when you’ve had enough.”  She points.  The five heard a knock at the door.  Isabella opens it and gave a concerned look.  “Keith?  You look so cold.”

“F-Forgot my c-c-car.”  He hisses.  He glares at Lance.  “Why are you i-ignoring me?!”  Everyone looks at Lance.

“Come inside _mi hijo._ ”  Isabella lead him in.  He was embraced with warmth and felt a lot better.

“I want to know Lance, what’s going on?  I feel like I did something wrong.”  Keith admits.  Lance didn’t want to tell him, Allura warned him about it.  Keith would get upset and probably set himself off again.  Lance just looks down.

“It’s nothing.”

“Nothing?”  Keith asks in anger.  “This isn’t nothing!  You’ve been tip toeing around me all day!  I got in trouble for busting a locker because you pissed me off!”  Keith grabs his head.  “You’re so fucking frustrating!”

“Just go home Keith.”  Lance got up and tried pushing Keith out.  He tore Lance’s arms off of him.

“WHAT IS THIS?!  WHY ARE YOU PUSHING ME AWAY?!”  Keith shouts.  Lance looks down.  He didn’t want to do this to him, but…

“Just leave me alone Keith.  I don’t… I don’t want you here.”  He said.  Keith’s eyes grew.

“What are you talking about?”

“Go away.”  Lance said.  “I said go home, beat it!”  It finally hit.

“You… you’re cutting me off?  I-I thought we were friends!”  Keith suddenly grew upset.  “We promised!  Don’t you remember that?!  We promised we’d be friends, that you wouldn’t leave me!”  Keith was starting to cry.  “You-you said you wouldn’t, that you were a man of your word!”

Lance didn’t say anything.  Keith felt so heartbroken, this can not be happening.

“Lance please!  Please don’t do this!  Don’t leave me, I-I can’t lose someone else!”  Keith cried.  “I’ll do anything, just please don’t!”  It sounded almost pathetic really, Keith begging Lance to not break their promise.  Lance just looked at him.

“Promises are never kept Keith, welcome to the real world.”  He said.  Keith’s eyes were wide, tears falling.  The next minute he ran outside.  Everyone in the house stared at Lance in shock and anger.

“PRINCESS COME BACK!”

“KEI KEI!”  The two kids ran out after him.  Isabella smacked her son hard on the head, knocking his glasses off.

“I cannot believe you!”  She hissed.  “This isn’t like you at all Lance, you’d better fix this or I swear to God you’ll regret it.”  Isabella storms out of the house.  Sam shook his head.

“He was begging, probably saying he’ll change for you.”  Sam growls.  “You broke his fucking heart!”

“You think that was easy for me?!”  Lance shouts.  “I didn’t want to do that!  B-But it’s for the best!  I can’t be with him if I cause those stupid terrors.”  Lance shook his head.  “I can’t cause him that kind of pain.”

“So what was that?!”  Sam shouts.  “Seriously?  He fucking loved you and you do this to him?!  You’re the biggest asshole on the fucking planet!  Congratulations Lance McClain, you made an already traumatized kid with few friends even more upset and emotional.  Way to be a fucking dick!”

Lance didn’t say anything else.  Now his whole family was upset with him, and the younger two are running around the streets trying to find Keith.

Lance knew that right now everything was awful… but hopefully it’ll get better as time goes on.  Oh, only if wishes could come true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hate me.


	30. This Can't Be Real

Keith storms into his apartment and tried running to his room, an older brother was blocking the way though.  Keith tried pushing Shiro out of the way, Shiro was use to Keith’s violent tantrums.

“MOVE!  MOVE!”  Keith shouts.  Shiro stood his ground, Keith finally calmed down.  “Move…”

“Calm yet Keith?”  He grabs him, he saw tears running down his face.  “Oh God are you okay?”  He asked, Keith shook his head.

“Lance… Lance broke his promise.  He isn’t my friend anymore Shiro… I… I feel so.”

“What?”  Shiro couldn’t believe that.  Keith hugs his brother and cries in his chest.

“I feel so empty!”  He sobs.  “I don’t like it!”

“You’re heartbroken Keith.”  Shiro said.  He let his brother cry in his chest, he rubs Keith’s head trying to make him feel better, though nothing was going to stop the pain.  After a bit Shiro made Keith sit down.

“You want something to eat?”  Shiro asks.  Keith shook his head, Shiro sighs and stood up.  The door knocked moments later.  “That’s odd.”  He opened it and saw two little kids looking up at him.  One of them was hiding behind the other.  “Uh… you two look familiar.”

“Is Princess in here?”  Keith quickly looks over.

“Sarah?!”  He was shocked.

“Princess!”

“Kei Kei!”

“Rico, you too?!”  They tackled him on the couch and smothered him with hugs.  “What are you two doing here?  You two live so far away!  Did you follow me?!”

“We were worried about you Princess!”  Sarah said.  “We don’t know what’s wrong with Lance but we couldn’t let you go home in tears!  Princesses are suppose to be happy, not sad.”

“Kei Kei.”  Rico hugs Keith.  Keith was happy but now real concerned.

“You two it’s cold outside.”

“Yeah… I’m freezing.”  Sarah said with a smile, Rico nods.

“Brrr.”  He held himself.  Keith looks at the two.

“I’m glad you were worried about me, but what you two did was really dangerous.”  He said in a calm voice.  “It would’ve made me more upset if I heard you two got hurt.”

“So you’re not happy to see us?”  Sarah asks, Keith smiles.

“No, I’m very happy.”  Keith said.  Sarah smiles back, the two kids tackle Keith and hug him.  He laughs with them, the two were really helping him with his broken heart.  Shiro was glad.

“I’ll tell the asshole that his siblings are with us.”  Shiro said.  The three kept wrestling around.  “Are you three hungry.”

“I am!”  Sarah raised her hand.  Rico nods, still wary of Shiro.

“You want me to cook?”  He teases, Keith held the two close.

“I will not let you poison them!”  Keith shouts.  The two giggle and stay close to him.  Shiro smirks and walks over to them.

“Well what do you want?”  He asks.  Keith looks at the two.

“What do you two want?”  The two kids thought for a moment.

“I… I don’t know.”  Sarah giggles.  Rico stayed quiet due to Shiro being so close.  Keith waited for them to answer.  Nothing.  They didn’t know what they wanted.

“Where do you guys like to eat?”  Keith asks.  Sarah’s eyes grew wide.

“You mean like go out?”  She asks.  Keith nods.  “We never EVER go out to eat!”  She  sounded way too excited.  Rico was even surprised.  Keith loved how the two were so excited about something so simple.  Just shows how much money that family has.

“What’s something you two never get?”

“Pizza!”  Sarah shouts.

“Pisa!  Pisa!”  Rico cheers.  Keith groans, of course.  Something he needs to take his pill for.  Shiro chuckles and looks at the kids.

“Maybe something else?”

“No.”  Keith said.  “Pizza sounds great.”  Shiro raised an eyebrow.

“Really Keith?  You’ll have to take your pill.”  He said.  Keith got up and took his pill without complaining or arguing.  Shiro was impressed.  “Something tells me you’ll do anything for those two.”

“They’re our guests Shiro.  They get to pick what they eat.”

“Sure Keith.”  Shiro teases.  Keith pushes his brother and went back to the couch with the two kids.  Sarah turned the TV on and began to channel surf.

“Wow!  Lots of channels!”  She said happily.  Rico leans against Keith and watches the channels go by.

* * *

Allura stares at the two kids on her couch watching whatever was on while Keith read.  She looks at Shiro wanting an explanation.

“Um… you remember Lance’s siblings right?”  He said.  She still was waiting for an explanation.  “Well they followed Keith here.”  She raised an eyebrow.  “Lance told Keith they weren’t friends anymore.”

Allura grabbed her coat and about walked out.  Shiro had to grab her and pull her back in.

“Nonononononono!”  He shouts.  Allura started fighting back.

“LET ME GO, I WILL KILL HIM!”

“No you will not!”  Shiro tried calming his crazy girlfriend down.  “Princess please!”

“I WILL NOT LET THIS GO!”  She shouts.  Shiro had to carry her back inside.  The three kids watched the two fight.  As soon as they left the living room they slowly went back to what they were doing.

“They’re weird.”  Sarah said without looking away from the TV.  Keith chuckles.

“Yeah, they’re odd.  You don’t have to live with them so count yourself lucky.”  He said.  Rico got up and walked towards the room Shiro and Allura went into.  He peeks in and saw the two talking.  He walks back and climbs on the couch.

“Dey talking bout  _ hermano. _ ”  He said.  Sarah looks at Rico.

“Yeah, he made Princess sad.”  Sarah said while hugging Keith’s arm.  Keith had kind of forgotten about it, mainly because he was worried about the two kids who followed him.  He tried to keep a neutral face but the kids could tell he was upset.

“Kei Kei.  Es okay.”  Rico said.  Keith said nothing, he kept trying to read.  Though that was becoming a challenge.  Sarah just stares at him.  She leans against Keith and went back to watching the TV.

* * *

“Pisa!”  Rico tried grabbing some from the counter he couldn’t reach.  Keith laughs.

“Hold on buddy, I’ll get you some.”  Keith took a slice from the box and put it on Rico’s plate.  The toddler smiles and ran back to the living room to join his sister.  Keith follows them and ate on the couch.  Allura and Shiro leaned back on the chairs and watched the kids eat.

It was real odd having visitors, and such young visitors at that.  As soon as they got comfortable Black came out and sat next to Keith.  He groans.

“You fuzzy turd, leave me alone!”  He shouts.  Shiro and Allura began to chuckle.  Sarah and Rico look over.  Sarah’s eyes grew.

“ _ ¡Un gato! _ ”  She says happily.  She pets Black, the big cat purrs at Sarah’s touch.

“Why is he nice to you?!”  Keith asks.  “This cat hates me.”  He pouts.  Allura nods.

“I agree, that cat sits on my face when I try to sleep.”  She points out.  Shiro rolls his 

eyes.

“He likes you guys.”

“Bullshit.”  Allura and Keith say in unison.  Sarah kept petting Black.

“Kitty kitty~”  He pulls away and stares at Keith again.  He held his food up and away.

“No.  It’s mine!”  He hisses.  Black got on his hind legs and tried reaching for Keith’s food.  “GOD DAMMIT WHY ME?!”  He shouts.  The two kids giggle at the sight.  “SHIRO!”

“My cat stays out.”

“He’s bugging me- NO!”  He pushes Black back, he gave Keith big eyes.  Ears perked up, looking as cute as possible.  Keith looked away.  “Not falling for it.”

“Quit being mean to my cat.”  Shiro said.

“He’s the one being mean!”  Keith complains.  Shiro rolls his eyes and continues to eat.  Keith glares at the cat.  “You spoiled little shit.”  Black meows and stares at Keith’s food.

Allura looks at the two kids and finally spoke up.

“So… how did you two get here?”

“We followed Princess.”  Sarah said.  “Well we lost him after a bit so we followed his footprints until we got into the city.  Then we saw him again trying to get through people and he went into this building.  We asked the lady downstairs where Princess lived and here we are!”  Sarah said.  Allura was a little surprised.

“You walked here?”

“Ran.”  Sarah nods.  “It’s cold outside.”

“Brrr.”  Rico points outside.

“How old are you two?”  Allura asks.

“I’m eight.  Rico is two, he’ll be three in May.”

“ _ Tres. _ ”  Rico held up three fingers.  Allura nods and looks at Shiro.

“I cannot believe these are Lance’s siblings.”

“Why not?”

“Well… they’re white and he’s not.”

“We’re half white.  That’s what Mamá told us.”  Sarah said happily.  Allura looks back at the little red head.

“Really, you’re half white?”

“Uh huh.  Our Mamá is white, and she came from Cuba.  But all of my siblings and I are half white.  At least that’s what they told me.”  She said.

“I’ve heard someone making fun of Lance and Sam, calling them half breeds.”  Keith said as he took another bite.

“I don’t get why people make a big deal over it.”  Shiro said.  “Sure culture plays a role in it and all but why make a big deal if your half of something?”

“My Eomma was half white.”  Keith said.  Shiro looks at Keith.

“So you kind of know what that’s like I assume.”  Shiro asks.  Keith nods.

“If you haven’t noticed, I have big eyes for an Asian.”  He said.  Shiro laughs.

“Yeah I’ve always wondered why they were so large in size.  Those eyes remind me of a cat.”  He teases.  Keith threw a pillow at him.

“Shut up.”  He chuckles and ate again.  “Oh my God get lost you fucking cat!”  He pushes Black away.  He meows a bit then went back to Keith.  He gave up.  “Stubborn cat.”

“He’s cute.”  Sarah cooes.  Black rubs against her hand, trying to his scent on her.  She giggles.  “I want a cute kitty.”

“You can have this one.”  Keith said.

“No it’s my cat!”  Shiro protests.  “I need Black, he’s like therapy.”

“You don’t need therapy.”

“Tell that to my fucking PTSD, one suggestion for me was get a pet.”  Shiro said.  “I love cats so I got a cat.”

“I’m a cat person, don’t get me wrong.  But this cat is evil.”  Keith points at Black.  Black paws at his pizza.  “NO!  BAD CAT!”

“He wants a piece.”

“Why my piece?!”  Keith asks.  Sarah and Rico giggle.  Allura looks back at the kids and smiles.

“So what are we gonna do with you two?”  She asks.  The two kids look at her then back at each other.  They shrug.  “It’s late now so…”

“We can stay here.”  Sarah said happily.  Shiro looks at Allura and shrugs.

“I don’t see why not.”  He said.  “You two can sleep on the couch.”

“Yay!”  Sarah cheers.  Rico smiles happily at the two.  Still way to shy to talk to them.

* * *

Sarah and Rico curled up on the couch sleeping as close as possible.  Since they already shared a bed it wasn’t uncommon to find the other and sleep as close as possible.  Plus it was winter and very cold so the kids used each other as little heaters.

Keith tried sleeping that night but so much was running through his head.  As soon as he closed his eyes everything came rushing back.

A tender smile, pats on the head, bright laughter, a hospital bed, a dead heart monitor, a cracked skull, a gravestone, then nothing…

He woke up screaming.  Again he didn’t know where he was, what was going on, and what was around him.

He felt two little hands hold his arm.  He looks down horrified.

“Princess?”  Sarah got on the bed and stares at him.  “Are you okay?”  She asks.  Keith stares at her confused.

“D-Do I know you?”  He asks.

“I’m Sarah.”  She said.  Keith nods.

“O-Okay… hello Sarah… where am I?”

“Home.”

“I don’t live here… where are you parents?”

“At their home.”  She points.  “Don’t you remember Princess?  You got mad at my brother and ran away.  Rico and I chased after you in the snow.”  She said.  Keith shook his head.

“I… I have no clue what you’re talking about.  I don’t know your brother, or you.  I think you have me confused for someone else.”  He said.  Sarah shook her head slowly.

“No.  I know I’m talking about you Keith.  I remember you begging Lance to stay your friend then you ran away crying.”

“Lance?  Who is that?”  Keith was confused at this point.  Sarah smiles at Keith, finally understanding what was going on.  Though she didn’t have a full grasp on it, she knew he wasn’t well.

Sarah wraps her arms around Keith’s neck and began to run her fingers through his hair, trying to sooth him.  Her natural motherly instinct kicked in.

“It’s okay Princess.  It’ll be okay.”  She said sweetly.  “Bad things don’t last.  Just come back whenever you’re ready.”  She smiles and continued to hug him.

Keith sat there confused for what felt like hours.  After that he teared up, realizing who he forgot and who had just witnessed it.  Cautiously, he wraps her arms around Sarah and began to cry.

“I’m so sorry sweetie.  I didn’t mean to forget you.  I’m so sorry.”  He whimpers, though his apology was useless cause Sarah fell asleep in his shoulder.

* * *

Keith woke up with both Sarah and Rico in his room, so the couch was useless.  Keith sighed, knowing that this was going to be the outcome.  He still has no clue why the two loved him so much, but it made him happy.  It was a fluffy feeling.

Rico woke up first and held his arms out to Keith, wanting to be carried.  Keith smiles and carries Rico out.  Sarah woke up in her usual zombie state, she grabs the bottom of Keith’s shirt and follows him out of his room.  Keith put Rico on the counter and looked around for something to eat before school.  Sarah rubs the sleep out of her eyes, wondering why Keith woke up so early.

He looks at the two kids and smiles.

“You two want something to eat before school?”  He asks.  Sarah and Rico nod.

“Yeah… Rico doesn’t go to school.”

“So where are you gonna go…?  I guess Allura has to watch you for the day.”

“Mmmm.”  He curls into Keith.

“It’s okay Rico, Allura isn’t a mean woman.  She’ll be nice to you.”

“I wanna stay with Kei Kei.”

“Sorry but I have to go to school.”  He said happily.  Keith looks through the fridge with Sarah right under him.  She points at the eggs.

“I want eggs.”

“That’s it?”  Keith asks.

“Eggs!”

“It’s easy I guess.”  Keith took the carton out.  He wasn’t much of a cook, but he knew how to make simple things.  Living with Shiro meant you either learned how to cook, or starve. 

He put a pan on the stove and lit it.  Sarah sprayed PAM all over the pan and watched as Keith cracked a few eggs open.  He searched around to find a turner.  As soon as he found one he began to cook with the two.

Sarah had to ask since she was still sleepy.

“Why so early?”  She asks, Keith didn’t look at her when he answered.

“I had to wake up this early when I was little, I guess it’s my eternal clock.  I’m use to waking up before six.  Sometimes I sleep in, but that’s rare.”

“Oh… it’s so early.  The sun isn’t even awake yet.”  She said as she points out the window.  Keith chuckles.

“The sun will wake up soon.”  Keith said.  He turned the stove off and took out three plates, giving one to Sarah and the other to Rico.  He slides off an egg for each of them and sat down.  “So what school do you go to Sarah?”

“Arus Elementary.”  She said.

“Okay, I know where that is.”  He said with a smile.  “I’ll take you there if you want me to.”

“Really?”  She asks happily.  Keith nods.  “Thanks Princess!”

“Yeah yeah, hurry up and eat so we can get ready.”

“Okay.”  Sarah ate her food fast.  Rico messed with his a bit.  After all three of them ate Keith got changed while Sarah tried brushing her hair.  Keith went into Shiro and Allura’s room and shook Allura slightly to wake her up.  Her blue eyes fluttered open.

“Keith?”

“Allura… can you watch Rico today?”

“What?”  She sounded so confused.

“He doesn’t go to school so can you take care of him?”

“Urg Keith… I have to work.”

“Take him to the cafe.  I’ll be back to take him after school okay?”  Keith said.  “Then… then I can drop them off at their house.”

“What about Sarah?”

“She goes to school.”  Keith said.  “Anyways you have to watch him, thanksAlluraIloveyoubye.”  He said that in one breath and ran off.  Allura groans again and fell back on her pillow.  Keith packed his bag and took his keys off the hanger.

“Coming Sarah?”  He asks.  She runs up to him with a smile.  The two exit and he drove her to school.  She turns on the radio that was connected to his phone so his music started playing.  She stares at the radio confused.

“¿Qué diablos?”  Keith looks at her.  It was Korean so she didn’t understand a word of it.  

“It’s Korean sweetie.  That’s where my family is from.”  He explained.  Sarah looks at him.

“Do you speak Korean Princess?”

“ _ 어떻게 생각해? _ ”  He said as fluently as possible.  She gasps in amazement.  Truth be told he only knows a little Korean and what he just said was probably broken as fuck but at least he tried.  His parents were fluent in Korean but spoke it rarely, he only picked up on a few words and phrases.  It’s odd cause he can hear it and translate it fine, but speaking it was a whole other story.

He envies Sarah and her siblings.  They can speak both Spanish and English just fine.  He wishes he could do that, then maybe he’d be a little closer to his parents.  He noticed Sarah bouncing to the beat, he laughs.

“Do you like the song?”

“Yeah!”

“Well good.”  Keith said. He stops in front of the elementary school and pats her head.  “I’ll pick you up and take you home, okay?”

“Okay.”  She nods.  She opens the door then quickly turns around and kisses Keith’s cheek.  “I love you  _ hermano! _ ”  She smiles sweetly and hops out the car.  Keith held his cheek for a second and smiles.

Hermano… he knew what that meant.  Sarah saw him as more than some friend who use to barge into her home uninvited, though to be fair that’s what true friends do.  He chuckles a bit and drove to school.

He knew this happiness wouldn’t last.  School was going to be awkward.  He wasn’t friends with Lance anymore… so what’ll happen to their group?  What about his feelings for Lance?  They’ll go away right?

Yes.  Keith concluded that he’ll just stop liking Lance.  Easier said than done.

* * *

That was a lie, it wasn’t easy.  The moment Keith laid eyes on him he could tell his feelings haven’t changed.  Was he still upset by what Lance had done?  Definitely.  But he still loved Lance, he still wanted to be with him.  And that’s what made this whole thing suck even more.

Keith met up with Hunk like usual.  As soon as he was walking towards Lance’s locker he told him he had to go to class and left.  Literacy class came by and Lance went back to the front while Keith sat in his usual seat farthest from everyone else.

The two friends were confused beyond belief.  What weirded them out even more is that Keith went back to his loner table.

Lance didn’t say anything either, though he wanted to ask Keith how his siblings were.

Gym was when Pidge had enough.  She marched over to Keith and stared at him.

“Alright Mullet, what’s going on?!”  She snaps.  Keith just looks at her.

“What are you talking about?”

“YOU KNOW!”  She shouts.  “Not meeting up with us this morning, not sitting with us at lunch and now you stand at the loner wall.”  Pidge took a deep breath.  “You’re acting like your old self.  The one no one could get close to.  What’s happening?”

“Nothing Pidge.”

“Then come hang out with us.  We’re all friends here.”  She said with her usual dorky smile.  Keith huffs.

“He’s not my friend.”  Keith growls.  Pidge looked over and back.  She gasps and ran towards Lance who was talking to Hunk.  She punched him hard in the arm, he yelps in pain.

“What the heck?!”

“You two aren’t friends anymore!”  She snaps.  Hunk looked at Lance shocked.  “EXPLAIN YOURSELF!”  She demands.

“What?”  Hunk was confused.  “What’s going on here?”

“What did you do to Keith?  You two aren’t friends anymore so explain yourself!”  She hisses.  Lance stares at Pidge in disbelief, she was legit angry.  “I want an answer now McClain!”  Her words were like venom, Lance stare immediately turned into a glare.  Pidge felt a little scared and backed away.

“You need to stop butting into other people’s issues Pidge.”  He growls.  “I don’t have to explain shit to you.  Keith and I are not friends anymore, that’s it.  Case closed.”  His look never changed, Pidge held back any emotion she had.  She took a deep breath and looked at Lance.

“I-I want to know why you two stopped being friends.”  She felt anger grow back.  “You forced Hunk and I to be friends with him!  Now we are and you suddenly get to choose to not be his friend?!  What kind of bullshit is that?!  It’s like you’re trying to tear us apart!”  She shouts.

“If you don’t like it then choose who you want to be friends with!  I ain’t stopping you!  You want to be my friend or his friend?”  Lance hisses, Pidge’s face drops.  She was starting to shake.  She looks down, trying to hide her face.

“Don’t make me choose.”  She began to cry.  “Y-You… don’t do this to me.  Lance you’re like Matt you know.  I haven’t had him for two years now, but when I hang out with you it’s like I have my brother back!  And Keith… Keith is my best friend!”  She was now sobbing.  “I can’t… I can’t choose between you two!  That’s not fair!”

“Katie…”  Hunk tried calming her down.  She ran out of the gym in tears.  Now Lance feels even worse, God Sam would kill him if he figured out he made Pidge cry. 

“I, Lance McClain, am the biggest dick on the planet.”  He mumbled to himself.  He saw Keith run out in the hallway, trying to catch up with Pidge.  Hunk smacks Lance’s head.  He yelps.  “DUDE YOU’RE STRONGER THAN YOU LOOK!”

“I hope it fixed your freaking brain.”  Hunk looks away.

* * *

“Katie?”  Keith calls.  “Katie where are you?!”  He found her hiding under a drinking fountain.  She was trying to control herself, she looks up at Keith.  Her cheeks were red and damp with tears.  She wipes her nose free of snot and looks away embarrassed.

“W-What do you want?”  She tried to sound like her usual sassy self.  It came off as whiny.

“Pidge… come here.”  Keith tried pulling her out.  She pulls away.  Keith sat close and waited for her to come out.  “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”  Nothing for a bit.

“You should be.”  She pouts.

“I wanted to say something but I was… I was so heartbroken… and I needed to think.  Also Lance’s siblings chased me home so I had to watch over them.”  Keith said.  Pidge gave him a look.

“Are you serious?”

“Dead serious.”  Keith nods.  Pidge looks back down at her kneecaps.

“Do I … Do I have to choose between you or Lance?”  She asks.  Keith stares at her for a moment, then shook his head.

“No you don’t have to.”

“But he said-”

“We can still be friends Pidge.  And if you have to choose, then choose Lance.”  He said.  Pidge just stares at him.

“What?”

“Well he was your friend first wasn’t he?”  He smiles.  “I was alone once, I can be alone again Pidge.”  Those words stung Keith, he didn’t want to be alone again.  He finally knows what it’s like to have friends.  To hang out with others, to be himself.  To talk to and gossip with.

He felt happy and loved being near people despite him being awkward.  They cared about him.  But now his friends were being torn apart.  He was the outsider so they’d leave him first … and he’d be alone again.

Pidge broke his thoughts with a hug, he could feel her tears soaking his shirt.

“I still want to be your friend Keith!”  She sobs.  “We’ll fix this okay?  Hunk and I, we’ll fix this.”  Keith smiles and hugs her back, feeling warm inside.

“Okay, thanks Pidge.”

* * *

Keith and Sarah walk into the cafe to get Rico.  He saw Rico cleaning tables, Keith gave Allura a ‘really?’ look.  She looks at him.

“What?  He wanted to clean.”  She said.  Keith rolls his eyes.

“Rico.”  He calls, the toddler got down off the chair and walks towards Keith happily.

“Kei Kei!”  He hugs his leg.  Keith took his hand and walked outside.

“Come on, I’m taking you two home.  Sarah stop playing with that, we’re leaving.”  Sarah looks up from the cream dispenser.

“Aw.”  She whines and runs after Keith and Rico.  They got in the car and drove back to their home.  Keith walks them to the front and pats their heads.

“I’m glad you two came and helped me, it meant a lot.”  He said sweetly.  Sarah and Rico smiled back.

“Do you feel better now?”  Sarah asks.  Keith nods.

“I feel a lot better thanks to you two.”  He said.  The two kids hugged him happily, the door opens.  He looks up.  “Oh… Isabella…”  He stood.  “I-I’m sorry I didn’t bring them home right away, I just-”  She hugs him tight.

“Are you okay  _ mi hijo? _ ”  She asks.  Keith just stares at her in shock.  She wasn’t mad about him taking her kids in, she was concerned for him… like a mother would for her own child.  Something Keith was not.

“I-I’m fine Isabella.”  Keith pushed her away slightly and smiles.  “They… they were great.  My brother got them pizza and Rico helped out at my sister’s cafe.”

“I’s clean all da tables Mamá!”  He said proudly.  Isabella laughs and rubs her son’s head, letting him hum in happiness.

“Well aren’t you all grown up.  And you two got pizza out of it too?  I’m so jealous.”

“THOSE LITTLE FUCKERS GOT PIZZA?!”  They heard Sam yell from inside.  The four laugh.  Keith sighs and looks away.

“I-I should go.”  He said.  Isabella pulls him in for one last hug.

“You are always welcomed here Keith.”  She said.  Sarah and Rico hug him.

“Yeah.”  Sarah nods.

“We love’d ou Kei Kei!”  Rico smiles.  Keith tried holding back tears, this was way too much for him.  He pulls away and nods.

“I’ll keep that in mind, thank you.”  He walks away.  The kids ran in happily with Isabella.  Keith got in his car, he looks back at the house and looked at the roof.  He saw Lance sitting there watching the whole thing.  He didn’t say anything, didn’t do anything, just sat there.

The two stared for a moment before Keith finally drove off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty then so what Keith said when he spoke Korean was "What do you think?"  
> I hope you guys are ready for what's to come... it's nothing big... ;)


	31. Odd

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I need to say this so please read it.  
> I've been getting complaints from not only here but in other places that this story is starting to suck and it's not good anymore because I made this whole thing with Keith and Lance suddenly splitting up. For the sake of me not wanting to repeat myself over and over again I shall say it here.  
> I have planned this story out since the beginning. The splitting up was planned from the start. Did it come out of the blue? Yeah I might have, but keep in mind I suck at writing drama and angst. :(  
> However it sounds like the majority of you want me to change my whole story to what you guys want and not how I envisioned it. I'm not changing the story, it's my fanfic and I shall write it the way I want.  
> I know some of you were trying to give me constructive criticism, but there were a lot of you who were flat out telling me what to do and I'm sorry but I will not do that.  
> That is all I had to say.

The following days were just … odd.  Lance didn’t talk to Keith, the friend group was split sometimes.  One day Pidge was with Keith, another day it was Hunk.  The two were trying to bring the group together again but they lacked that certain skill.

The one who HAD that skill was the one who decided to break the group.  That was making this whole thing a whole lot harder.  However the two wanted their friend group to be whole again so…

“Hey Lance.”  Pidge latched onto Lance’s shoulder.  “Happy February.  May cupid strike you down with love.”  She teases.  Lance rolls his eyes and took his stuff out.  He noticed Hunk was gone, probably with Keith.  “Hey hey…”

“What?”  Lance looks at her.  She pokes his glasses up on his face.

“You ready for another day of high school bullshit and life treating you like it’s personal punching bag?”

“... Can I say no?”

“It won’t care.”

“Aw.”  Lance laughs a bit.  “Then I’m ready as I’ll ever be.”  He walks to class with Pidge on his back.

The rest of the day was just like that, he’d have one friend hanging out with him then he’d leave.  He want’s to be friends with Keith again but he wouldn’t forgive himself if he kept causing those damn terrors.

* * *

Keith walks into the apartment slowly and lays on the couch.  He really didn’t want to go to work.  Shiro walks in later and put his stuff on Keith, who groans in discomfort.

“Shiro your shit is heavy.”

“Oh is it?  Didn’t notice.”  Shiro teases and walks off.  Keith didn’t want to move, so the stuff stayed on his back.  Shiro comes back and took his stuff off his brothers back.  “Was today any better?”

“You’ve been asking that for almost two weeks.  Has the answer changed since then?”  
“So that’s a no.”  Shiro walks back into the kitchen and took out a soda.  “Besides the usual how’s life been?”

“Tired.  They want us to do so much for Senior year.”  Keith mumbles.  “I want to graduate now.”  He buries his face in his arms.  Shiro sat in the chair next to him.

“It’ll end before you know it.”  He said.  “Then you’ll be done with the first section of life and then you’ll have the rest of your miserable adult years to look forward to.”

“I want those years to be better.”  Keith said.  “Unless life wants to say “ha bitch you’re life is gonna suck even more.”.”  Shiro saw Keith closing his eyes, wanting to sleep away his troubles.

“You can’t escape forever Keith.”

“I want to escape.  Maybe then my life will be better.”

“Keith.”  Shiro got his younger brothers attention.  “You are what you make it.”

“Aw don’t push your strange bullshit on me.”  He whines.  “I don’t understand!”

“I’m telling you it’s going to be okay.  Just trust me.”  Shiro said with a smile.  “What do you want from life right now?”  He asks, Keith knew what he wanted.  He had no clue how to get it back though.  He looks at the floor then closed his eyes again.

“I wanna sleep Shiro.”

“Okay escape in your fantasy, but remember-”  He was interrupted by his phone.  He picks it up and answers it.  “Hello?”

“SHIRO HELP ME!”  Lance shouts on the phone, Shiro sighs.

“What is it Lance?”

“I WAS WALKING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN ALLURA SAW ME AND STARTED SHOUTING AT ME!  SHE’S CHASING ME, HEEEEEELP!”  He cries.  Shiro got up from his seat.

“Run next to the cafe, I’ll be down shortly.”  He said.  He hung up and looked at Keith.  “Gotta go save your boyfriend, be right back.”

“You can’t call him that if we aren’t even friends.”

“Yeah I can.”  Shiro walks out of the apartment towards the cafe, he saw the two sooner than expected.  He didn’t know Lance could run so fast, though with those legs of his it shouldn’t be a surprise.  Lance runs into Shiro’s arms and hugs him.

“Helphelphelp!”  He whines.  Allura came up moments later and points at him.

“YOU!”

“EEP!”  He hugged Shiro tighter.  Shiro had to hold back laughter, Lance’s voice seemed to get higher when he was scared.

“You LIAR!  You broke your promise!  I care about you so much that I can’t kill you, BUT I CAN BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF YOU!”  She ran at him again.  Shiro lifts Lance up and away from Allura.  “CURSE YOU!”  

“Calm down Princess.”  Shiro said with a laugh.  “You can’t be mad at him forever.”

“Yes I can.”  She said quickly.  “COME HERE YOU!”

“Nonononononono!”  Lance kept whining.  “I STOPPED WORKING AT THE CAFE!  ISN’T THAT WHAT YOU WANTED?!”

“NO!”  Allura shouts back.

“Will you two stop the shouting, I’m right here.”  Shiro asks.  “Okay I’m going to put Lance down now, promise you won’t chase him.”

“I promise nothing.”

“Allura?”

“No, I promise nothing.  He’s gonna get his ass kicked.”

“No thank you.”  Lance said quickly.

“Quiet promise breaker.”  She snaps.  Shiro slowly puts Lance down, the Cuban ran away.  Allura tried running after him but Shiro caught her.  “NO!  TAKASHI PUT ME DOWN!”  She starts hitting his back.  “YOU WIN THIS ROUND LANCE!”  She shouts at him as he was running for his life.

“Time to go home.”  Shiro said happily.

“I hate you.”  She pouts.

“Love you too.”  

* * *

Lance ran into his house out of breath.  His siblings looked at him in confusion.

“What happened to you?”  Sam asks.  “You be runnin from the cops?”

“I wish it was cops.”  Lance said, he took off his glasses and rubs his face.  “Allura chased me from Hunk’s house to the cafe.”  He said.  “I swear I never ran so fast in my life.”  He sat on the couch and tried to recover.  Sarah stares at him.

“Did she catch you?”

“No I called Shiro and asked him to help.”

“I’m surprised Keith’s brother helped you after what you’ve done.”  Sam said.  Lance gave his brother a look.

“ _ ¿Podemos olvidar acerca de él? _ ”

“No.”  His three siblings said in unison.  Lance groans and points at his brother.

“You can help yourself up the stairs tonight.”

“I know you’ll help me, you aren’t that mean.”  Sam teases.  “And I also know that no matter what happens, everything will be fine.”

“Really now?”

“Yeah, cause I know you’ll befriend that loser again.”  Sam smirks.  “You can’t stay away from him.  I don’t care if you think you’re helping him, you’re going to be friends again.”

“You make me sound like a lovesick puppy.”

“Aren’t you?”

“No!  Maybe… quiet.”  Lance pouts and looks down.  Sarah giggles.  “What are you laughing at?”

“You love him~”

“Wow, you should be a detective with those kinds of observation skills.”  He said sarcastically.  She continues to giggle.

“So what did you do at your friends house?”  Sam asks.

“We talked and he scolded me for about an hour on how I’m the only one who can pull the group back and I told him I had no idea what he meant by that.”  Lance said as he flipped himself upside down on the couch.  Sam thought for a moment than caught on.

“I think you’re the glue friend.”

“Glue friend?”

“The one who keeps the group together.  Think about it.  You brought Keith into the group that had Pidge and Hunk.  Keith knew Allura and from what you’ve told me they hang out sometimes, and Shiro seems close to you.”  Sam explains.  “It’s because you were there.”

“Bullshit.”  Lance said.  “People choose to be someone’s friend, no one forces them.  I asked Hunk and Pidge to give Keith a chance, and that’s how they became friends.”

“Do you think they’d give him a chance if you weren’t there?”

“Oh hell no.  Hunk was way to scared of him and Pidge hated him.”  Lance laughs.

“And there ya go.”  Sam points out.  “Thanks to you, that edgy guy got friends and met you.  You were probably the greatest thing to have happened to him in a long time.”  Sam looks at his hands.  “If I had to ask of you one thing… just be his friend again Lance.  That’s what he wants.  Be his friend… and if it’s too much to ask, tell him the truth.”

“Truth?”  Lance asks, thinking about it for a moment before turning red from embarrassment.  “SAM NO!”

“You’ll have to tell him eventually.  You’ve liked him since day one, admit it.”

“No I haven’t.”

“Uh huh.  You talked about him all the time with Rebecca.  Wanting to be his friend, doing everything you could to get close.  Hell, flirting with him whenever you got the chance.”  Sam smirks.  “You liked him since day one  _ hermano.   _ Time to wake up and smell the roses.”  He said.  Lance looks down.

Yeah he liked Keith a lot.  That much was obvious, but since day one?  At first that sounds ridiculous but maybe not.  Maybe Lance was attracted to him in some sort of way.  Lance didn’t know what it was.  At first they were just friends, and not just any friend.  A friend who knew what it was like not being straight.

Lance never really had someone he could just talk to about that.  Though it wasn’t brought up all the time… he still understood.  After a while feelings grew and that was it.  It wasn’t love at first sight.  It was something that hit Lance in the head and said ‘lookie a cute guy you’ve been hanging out with.’ and Lance went with it.  Did he like ending it with Keith?  Not at all, but that’s not the first time he’s cut ties with someone and it may not be the last.

Lance didn’t know how to feel about that freak out with Keith, the way he forgot everyone.  Lance didn’t want Keith to go through that again.  It hurt Lance too much.  If Lance was hurting someone he’d leave them for their safety.  That’s how it’s always been for him.

“I’m going upstairs, call me down if you need help Sam.”

“Oh so you will help me?”  Sam teases.

“Keep that up and I won’t.”  Lance teases back and playfully pushes his brother.

* * *

Next school day Lance got sent out of his second hour class due to Sam getting hurt.  Lance could not wait for the excuse Sam had thought up.  Who knows maybe someone tried hurting him, but knowing Sam he probably did something stupid.

Lance about reached the office when he bumped into someone quite shorter than him.  A slightly bigger girl who reached his chest, she turned to look up at Lance.  She was pretty.  Dark skin, dark brown… greenish hair that went to her back.  Big yellow eyes and a soft baby face.  If it wasn’t for Pidge always pointing her out Lance would’ve probably hit on her.  But he knew who the little cutie was.

“S-Sorry Shay.”

“It’s okay.”  She said in a sweet voice.  Okay that was an adorable voice, Lance could see what Hunk was talking about, she was adorable.  “You’re friends with Hunk right?  Lance.”

“Yeah.”  Lance nods.  “How did ya know?  Is someone talking about me?”  He asks playfully.  She looks away and plays with her hair.

“Um… I… I’ve just heard it from… somewhere.”  She said.

“Okay, I’m sure you did.”  He kept teasing.  She hugs her stuff close.

“No no no!  It’s true!  Well I mean I’ve overheard your conversations and … wait!  Wrong thing, um I-”  Lance began to laugh.

“It’s okay, I’m glad you know who I am.”  Lance pats her head.  “So what are you doing here?”

“Oh I’m an office aid.  So what are you doing here Mr. McClain?”  She giggles.  Lance points at the office.

“I’m here to get my brother, he got hurt.”

“Oh you mean the kid who tried racing someone with crutches up the stairs?”

“I KNEW IT WAS YOUR FAULT!”  Lance shouts.

“BITE ME!”  Sam shouts back.  Lance groans and walked in, Shay right behind him.

“So how are you?  I’ve seen your group lately and I’m getting worried about you four.”  She said.  Lance gave her a look, why some popular cheerleader was watching them he’ll never know.

“Stuff came up, but it’s fine.”  Lance said calmly.  “Things will get better I’m sure.”

“But I’ve noticed how sad everyone’s been.”  She said.  “I mean… Hunk always looks so bright and happy but lately he’s lost his light… I’m worried is all.”  Lance gave her a smug smile.

“Do you have a thing for my friend?”  He asks all smug-like.  Shay’s face turned bright red and she panics.

“WHAT?!  No no no don’t be silly!  I mean I have no chance with him an- why?  Does he talk about me?”  She asks all excitedly.  Lance laughs again and made it into the nurse’s office.

“I can’t tell you that.  What Hunk and I talk about is private.”  He said.  Shay just looked disappointed.

“Ug, you boys and your secrets.”  She huffs out.  Lance couldn’t help but laugh whenever she spoke, she had such a high pitched voice.

“Isn’t it girls who keep secrets?”

“No!  Well yes but… be quiet.”  She pushes Lance lightly.  “I have to go, it was nice meeting you Lance.”

“Yeah nice meeting you too.”  He walks in and sees Sam glaring at him.

“Who was that?”

“A girl Hunk likes, I’ve got to tell him this, he’ll love it.”  Lance acted all giddy like a fourteen year old girl, no offense to Pidge.

“So you weren’t hitting on her?”

“No!  Bro code, no hitting on another man’s woman.  Plus she likes him too so…”  Lance said.  “Matchmaker~”

“You’re awful.”  Sam laughs.  “Help me out of this bed.”

“I can’t believe I have to take you home early because you decided to race down the fucking stairs.”

“Up the stairs.”

“Whatever.  I knew you did something stupid.  Now we have to take the public bus.”

“Not unusual for latinos.”  Sam jokes around, Lance smacks his brother’s head.  He still laughed.

“Don’t diss people who don’t have cars.”

“Like us?”

“Yeah.”  Lance walked out of the building with his brother and found the nearest bus stop.  Lance could see some of the snow was starting to melt.  He smiles, spring is on it’s way.


	32. Liar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry! I was getting ready for my states anime convention so I was putting this on hold!  
> I want to say thank you for all the kind things you have said. I may have gotten bad comments and people telling me to change what I'm writing, but you all have shown me that what I am writing is great and you want more. So for that I say thank you.  
> In other news I went to AI and I cosplayed as Keith. Here's a link to some photos. https://jadynrosetta.tumblr.com/post/163565630809/keith-at-anime-iowa-also-if-you-want-to-see  
> It was awesome, I've met so many cosplayers for Voltron (even got a Lance to finger gun at me XD) and I found a Shiro at a McDonalds while I was out of my cosplay... still got a pic with her though!  
> And we busted a druggy in our hotel so all in all it was a fun time :3

Lance sat in the library alone playing on his phone.  He didn’t want to talk to his other friends since they’ll scold him or tell him that they need to all be friends again.  Lance thought that what he was doing the right thing.  So lately he’s been alone.

He saw his english teacher walk out of the copying room and slowly walks back to her room.  She passes Lance and waves.

“Hello Mr. McClain.”

“Hi Mrs. Boston.”  He said while looking up from his phone.  He noticed all the papers in her arms.  “What’s that?”

“Senior finals.  What you’ll do in order to graduate.”

“What is it?”

“You’ll see.”  She said.  “Also it’s Friday, what are you still doing here?”  She teases.  Lance looks back down at his phone.

“I felt like staying here.”  He said.  “It’s quiet and I don’t have to worry about helping my brother.”

“Hm?”

“His heart rate was messed up this morning so he had to stay home.”  Lance said.  “Can you please tell me what it is!”

“No.”  She said.  “You’ll know Monday.”  She walks off, Lance went back to his phone.

* * *

He walks into his home and saw Sarah walking down with an empty glass.  She waves at Lance and hugs him.

“Hi Lance.”

“Hey.”  Lance said.  “What are you doing?”

“I brought Sam some water.  Wanna go see him?”  She asks.  Lance walks upstairs and went into their room.  He stood at the edge of his bed and looked at Sam who was staring at the ceiling, breathing was uneven.

“H… Hi Lance.”  He said while trying to breath.

“Hey bud.  How you doing?”

“Great…. Just staring at the fucking… the fucking ceiling.”  He laughs, then coughs a bit.  “My heart rate has… it’s gone down a… a bit.”

“Still hurts?”

“Like a bitch.”  Sam touches his heart monitor.  He flicks the wires going in him and sighs.  Lance held his hands to keep him from messing with the wires that were keeping him alive.

“Don’t do that.”

“Why?  I’m bored.”

“You don’t mess with your heart buddy.”

“It’s not gonna kill me.”

“It might.”  Lance laughs.  “I’m heading back down, you rest okay?”

“Okay.”  Sam closed his eyes, Lance got looks over at the baby monitor next to him.  He laughed.  “Shut up, Sarah put it there so she could hear me.”  He mumbles.

“Good job Sarah.”  Lance said through the monitor.

“Lance, Sam needs to sleep.  Leave him alone.”  She said back, Lance rolls his eyes and got down.  He walks down and hung out with his little sister who was playing with beads while keeping a close ear on Sam.

“What are you making?”

“Wanna see?”  She asks.  Lance nods, his little sister held up a few bracelets.  “The green one is yellow one is Rico’s, the green one is Sam’s, and…”  She tied a blue one around Lance’s wrist.  “You get blue.”  Lance saw his name in block shaped beads with blue colored letters on them with dolphin beads on each side.

“Aw… thanks sweetie.”  He said with a smile.  Sarah gave him a dorky grin, she ties the last one loosely and hands it to Lance.  “Hm?”  Keith’s name was on it in red letters with crown beads on each side.

“It’s for Princess, deliver it to him please?”

“Um…”  He wasn’t sure, Sarah pouts.  Lance gave in.  “Okay, I’ll deliver it for you.”  He got up and walks out the door.

“Thank you!  Tell Princess that I said hi!”  She squeaks.  Lance groans and walks out.

* * *

Allura hands the last order to her customers and rests.  Keith leans against the wall and groans.

“What a rush.”  He said to Allura, she nods in agreement, though he couldn’t see.  Allura sees the door open, she saw the person.  Slowly she grabs her book, her eyes never left her target.

“Hel- EEP!”  He jumps at the book that flew at his face.  He looks at Allura who was still standing in a throwing position.  “... … Hi Allura.”

She said nothing.  Lance walks back into the kitchen and saw Keith resting against the wall.  He noticed Lance and looked surprised.

“Hi.”  Lance spoke up.  Keith looks back at his feet.  Lance messed with Sarah’s bracelet in his pocket, trying to think of something to say.  “Um… you… you look good.”  Keith gave him a look.  “Sorry… I-Sarah made this for you.  She told me to deliver it.”

Lance threw the bracelet at Keith.  He picks it up confused, his confusion turned into a soft smile.  He messed with the beads, Lance couldn’t help but think his smile was precious.  His feelings for Keith were still there, that smile could win anyone over.

“Well that’s all… bye.”  Lance waves.  He ran out when Allura tried throwing her coffee cup at him.

* * *

That morning Lance tried helping Sam get down.  Sarah argued with them saying Sam should rest more, but Sam wanted to be downstairs.

“Sarah I’m fine.”

“ _¡No lo apruebo!  ¡Sam necesita descansar, estúpido!  ¡ No apruebo esta Lance!_ ”

“ _Ah callar…_ ”  Lance sasses back at his sister.  “He isn’t dying so let him stay down here and watch TV.”

“Yeah, the ceiling is boring.”  Sam complains.  Sarah pouts and gave the two a look.  Isabella was laughing at the sight of her kids.

“Sarah, Sam’s okay.  Lance is right, he isn’t dying.”

“But Mamá, Sam needs to rest!”  She whines.  “His heart was sick yesterday!  I could hear his bad breathing all night!”

“Yeah the baby monitor was a little insulting _hermana._ ”  Sam comments, Sarah glared at him then went back to talking to her mom.  Sam looked at Lance.  “She looked like Rebecca there.”

“Oh no not another Rebecca.”  Lance teased.

“Rebecca’s gonna haunt you.”  Sarah said and walked off.  Lance and Sam chuckle and got into the wheelchair.  Lance sat on the couch across from him.  The two began to watch whatever was on, Rico came in moments later and sat on Sam’s lap.  He leans in his head on his brother’s chest and listened to the monitor.

“Beep.  Beep.  Beep.”  He giggles.  Sam looks at his brother and chuckles.

“What are you doing silly?”

“Listening to da beep beep.”

“You mean my heart rate?”

“No!  Beep beep!”  Rico argues.

“Okay okay.  It’s beep beep sorry.”

“Beep.  Beep.”  Rico giggles again.  Lance watched the two instead of the TV.  His siblings were charming.  Sarah sat next to Lance and looks at him with a worried look.

“So… did Princess like it?”

“Hm?”

“The bracelet!”

“O-Oh yeah yeah!  He liked it.”  Lance said.

“Did he put it on?!”  She asks with excitement.

“I don’t know sweetie.  It was red and pink so it might clash with his edgy look.”  Lance said in a teasing manner.  Sarah cocks her head to the side.

“I don’t get it.”  The two sat there for a moment.

“Nevermind.”  Lance said.  “So any plans for today?”

“Sitting here.”  Sam said.

“Okay?  Anything else?”

“Pray for my legs to work.”

“Sam.”

“What?”  Sam chuckles.  Rico was staring at the ceiling while Sarah thought about what to say to her brother.

“I guess I’ll be taking care of Sam.”  She said.  “What’ll you do Lance?”

“Dunno.”  He shrugs.  Then he thought of something.  “How about we all go to the mall!”  He said.  “All four of us!”

“Huh?!”  The two look at him like he was nuts.  Rico’s attention was suddenly back on Lance, he was distracted so he didn’t know what was going on.

“Come on it’s perfect.  A place where we can all hang out, also it’s accessible for Sam!”  Lance points out.  Sam thought for a moment.

“Yeah, you’re right.  What do you think Mamá?”  He asks Isabella.  She looks at her kids.

“I get a day away from you brats?  You don’t have to ask me twice.”  She said with a smile.

“Then it’s decided.”  Lance said.  “Come on guys!”  The four got ready and Isabella drives them down.  In the parking garage she lets them out.

“Okay call when you’re ready to come home.”

“Yes Mamá.”  Lance nods.  She gave her kids a thumbs up and drove off.  Lance pushed Sam and the other two follow.

“So what do we do?”

“Dunno.”  Lance said.  “Walk around, see things, buy food or something.  We have a lot of money from Christmas.”  Lance said.  “And I saved up a bit from the cafe.”

“So we have some?”  Sam asks.

“A lot.”

“I wanna Build-A-Bear!”  Sarah squeaks.

“No.”  Lance said.

“But I want one!”

“And then you’ll want everything!”

“No!”  Silence.  “Mean.”  She pouts, the three boys laugh at her.  Rico walks up to Sam and wanted to be in his lap.

“Lazy.”  Sam comments and let Rico on.  The toddler was happy to be riding instead of walking.  The kids try to find something to do, in the end they walked around the amusement park and saw all the rides they couldn’t go on.  Sam sighs while looking at everything.

Lance could tell he was bothered by the park.

“You okay?”

“Yeah… just accepting the fact that I can’t go on any of these rides anymore.”  He said.  Lance knew Sam put himself in this situation, but he still felt bad.  Sam couldn’t do the things he liked anymore and he was only fifteen, he had a whole life ahead of him.  No rides with friends and family, nothing exciting anymore.  Just a boring existence so he can live another day.

“How about we go somewhere else.”  Lance said.  “Let’s go, and no I will not take you to make an expensive plush toy.”  Sarah pouts again.  The group made it to the arcade.  Lance bought his siblings cards while he reused his.

“You guys want a prize?”

“Yes!”  Sarah shouts.  She looks at all the prizes, she noticed a giant lion like Lance’s hanging up, only now it was green.  “Lance, lookie it’s Blue’s sister!”  She said happily.

Lance looks over and nods.

“Yeah, this is where I got that plushie.”  He said.  Sarah smirks.

“I remember you saying Princess got it for you~”  She teases, he turned red in an instance.  Sam laughs at him while Rico was distracted by the lights.

“Y-Yeah he got it for me… well the little shit stole my card and got it… but he gave it to me.”  Lance explained.  Sam smirks at the story.

“Aw, and you broke his little heart.”

“He’s a tough guy, he can handle it.”  Lance said coldly.  “Making it sound like I’m the bad guy.”

“Yeah.”

“Uh huh.”

“You kind of were.”

“Okay you three can shut up now!”  Lance whines.  “Man sometimes I wish Rebecca was here to deal with you three.”

“Oh really?”  Sam asks.  “Cause all I can imagine is “ _¡Estúpido!_  You broke his heart!  You fucking idiot!  I hope you rot!   _¡Ve a morir!_ ”.”

“Accurate.”  Lance sighs.  “Now what game do you guys want to play?”

“I don’t know, what can I reach?”

“You can stand you know.”  Lance scolds.

“For a good five seconds as of late.”  Sam said.  “I could try playing luck games, but that’s all I can reach.”

“What about the racing games?”

“Sure.”  Sam said.  The two boys noticed Rico run with Sarah.  The kids played a few games like the jump rope game and a claw game.  Lance helped Sam on the car seat for the racing game.

“This is embarrassing.”

“You’re handicapped, this is your life now.”

“I pity all kids in wheelchairs.”  Sam said calmly as he starts the game up.  He was decent at it, but Lance had to calm him down after a few minutes cause his heart monitor went off.  Signaling that Sam’s heart was reaching dangerous territory.  After the game Sam pouts.

“Can’t go on rides, can’t play games… what can I do?”

“Sam you are still recovering.  Maybe you’ll get better.”  Lance said.  Sam sighs and tried getting up.  Lance pushed his wheelchair closer, Sam flops down with the grace of a rock tumbling down a mountain.

His chair about closed on him.

“GAH!  Stupid thing.”

“You flopped like a fish out of water.”

“Shut it.”  Sam pouts.  Lance laughs and pushes him to the luck games.  Sam stops at a timer one and puts his card in.  “You can go do something else.  I’ll stay here.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I can’t do much else.”  Sam chuckles.  “Go watch over the other two.  If anyone tries messing with me I can just run over their toes.”  He said.  That got Lance to laugh.

“I’ll leave ya to it.”  Lance walks towards Sarah and Rico who were playing spider stomper.  They worked together to get more spiders, well work around the system I guess…

“You know that’s a one player game right?”

“We’s want tickets Lances.”  Rico said.

“Rico spider there!”  Sarah points.  Rico stomps on it, Lance stood there watching the two.  After a while of watching his siblings he felt something cling to his back.  He freaks out till he heard giggling.

“What the…”  He sees Pidge holding the green lion giggling.  “Pidge!  Ya gave me a heart attack.”

“Surprised you took a while to notice me.  I saw Sam so I thought you were around.”  She smirks, then looks at the two kids.  “Cousins?”

“Siblings.”

“Their white.”  She points out.

“Yeah… we’re half white.”  Lance said.  Pidge looks at Lance for a moment.

“... You don’t look it.”  She comments.

“Sam and I look more Cuban than those two.”  He said.  Sarah runs up with her card and Rico.

“We ran out.”

“Do you have enough?”  Lance asks.  “We can come back another time and you can save up.”

“Save up!”  Sarah cheers, she looks at Pidge and waves.  “Hi!  I remember you from Halloween!”  She squeaks.  Rico runs to Lance and hid from Pidge, Lance picks his brother up and held him close.

“It’s okay Rico, this is a friend.”  Lance tried telling his shy brother, he hid in Lance’s neck.  “Rico’s shy around new people.  He’ll warm up to others when he gets to know them.”

“Yeah!”  Sarah said to Pidge.  “Rico was afraid of Princess but now he loves Princess!”  She explained.  Pidge was so lost.

“Princess?”  She asks Lance.

“Kei Kei.”  Rico said in a small voice.  Pidge about busted a gut, she knew who they were talking about.

“Hold on, hold on.  I gotta just-”  She took her phone out quickly.  They all heard a ring then-

“What’s up?”  Keith’s voice was over the phone.

“How’s your castle _Princess~_ ”  She teases.

“What are you talking about Pidge?”  He asks, he sounded annoyed.  Sarah ran towards the phone.

“Princess!”  That surprised Keith.

“Sarah?!  Where are you Pidge?”

“At the arcade, ran into the McClains.  Didn’t know you were a princess buddy.”

“It’s a nickname.”

“A hail Princess Kei Kei!”  She laughs at him.

“Shut up!”

“Never!”

“I’m hanging up now.”

“No!”  Click.  “Why you leave me?”  She kept giggling.  Lance smiles and shook his head.

“You two have an odd friendship.”

“I know… but that’s what makes up best friends.”  She looks down.  “Though we have a strange friend group now.”  Salty much?  “You know he isn’t well, right?”

“Hm?”

“He’s acting up again.  Though I’m sure you don’t pay much attention anymore.  He’s fighting again.”  Lance didn’t know what to say.  It wasn’t that surprising but it wasn’t something he saw coming either.  “The old Kogane is back, the only difference is that he has Hunk and I.  Besides that it’s picking fights and detention.”  She sighs.  “I know what’ll help, but he isn’t a friend anymore so…”

“Pidge.”

“It’s fine.”  She held her plushie close.  “Listen I’d love to stay but my Mom’s in Old Navy right now…  she’ll want me back soon so…”  She sounded so sad.

“I’m sorry okay?”  A long, painful silence fell between the two.

“No you’re not.”  She walks off.  “See you at school Lance.”  That was all she wrote.  Lance groans and covered his face.  Sarah took Rico from Lance and held his hand while Lance recovered.  Rico tugs his brother’s sleeve.

“Lances… do you hate Kei Kei?”

“Huh?”

“Yous not his friend anymore, you hate him?”

“No no Rico.”  Lance leans down on Rico’s level.  “I-I don’t hate Kei Kei.  I love him very much.”  He said, he could see Sarah practically squealing behind him.  “But I was hurting him.  So I told him we couldn’t be friends… does that make sense?”  Rico looked at Lance with big brown eyes.  He didn’t miss a beat with his response.

“Sounds like you scawed.”  That surprised Lance.  “If I love-d someone like dat I would be der for dem, no matta what.”  Rico kept a calm face as he spoke.  “Do you weally love Kei Kei, or are you just sayin dat?”

Lance looks down, he didn’t want to admit that what Rico said made him hate himself even more.  Kids, they’ll surprise you for sure.  They know more then they let on.

“Are we ready to go?”  Sam asks holding a bag up.

“Yeah… what did you get?”  Lance sounded worried.

* * *

Sam threw the tiny basket ball at the tiny hoop on the door.  Lance sat on his bed with a bored look.

“A mini basketball set…”

“Well what am I supposed to do when I’m stuck in here all day?”  Sam asks.  “Think about me for a sec.”

“I’ve been thinking about you for the past week.”

“Uh huh.”  Sam threw it again, he cheers when he made it.  Lance messed with his plushie and sighs.  “Dude Rico’s a kid, get over it.”

“But what if he was right?  What if I don’t love him…”

“Oh I know what Rico said was right.”  Sam said.  “But.”  Sam used the office chair in their room to scootch closer to Lance.  “I also know you Lance, and I know you love him.  With that I know why you’re doing this is because you love him.  But… think about him.  How do you think this is making him feel?”

Lance thought for a moment and shrugs.

“I’m sure his acting up is him trying to hide how upset he is.  I could tell that he liked you.”  Sam looks away with a smile.  “He was practically family you know…”

Lance said nothing, he kept thinking.

“I’ll let you decide.  It’s your love life after all.”  Sam slowly got up and climbed up on his bed.  Lance heard Sam trying to regain his breath, soon after a calm beep filled the air.  Lance turns to his side, he was still thinking about what his brother’s have said.

* * *

Keith stood in the hallway at school waiting for Hunk, he had a bruise on his face from his most recent fight but he won so it was like a trophy.  Funny how the kid who won ninety nine percent of his fights still treasured bruises.

Hunk never showed up.  He groans, great now he was lonely.  He puts his earbuds in and walked down the hall, he saw Pidge walk by.

“Hey.”

“Hi.  Sorry I can’t talk right now… I need to get to the office for an important discussion on my college choice.”  She said.  “They want to know why I picked here.”  Keith nods with a smile.

“Yeah yeah.”

“Don’t be rude, we’re going to the same college so be happy.”

“I know.”  Keith waved her off.  As soon as she was gone he shoved his hands back in his pocket and walked.  He saw Lance rearranging things, they barely made eye contact.  He saw Shay helping a teacher from the special needs department, a pure woman she is.

The halls weren’t full but that doesn’t mean trouble can’t happen… if anything it makes trouble easier.  He bumps into a kid, causing the kid to drop his food from the cafeteria.  Keith looks at them.

“Oh sorry.”  Keith said in a rather dull voice, he turned to keep walking.

“Nice going asshole!  Watch where you’re fucking going, Asain freak...”  The kid shouts.  Keith snaps his attention back to the kid.

“What the hell was that for?  I didn’t mean to bump into you, you want me to get you more food?”

“With what little money you have?”

“I’m not poor.”  Keith growls.

“Yeah, I’ll believe that when you make better fashion choices.”  The kid snaps, he picks up his food and threw a bit of it at Keith.  “Blind ass mother fucker.”  He mumbles.  Keith punched the kid down hard.

“You need to realize who you’re talking to.  I don’t take that kind of shit from anyone, ya hear me?  Or do I need to make things clearer?”  He hissed.  The kid felt fear run through his veins.

Lance noticed the fight and walks up to watch, Shay stopped what she was doing as well.

The kid pushed Keith and roared at him.

“What the hell, you fucking attention seeker!”  The kid snaps.  “Does your Mom notice you at all?  That why you beat others down?  She must hate you!”  He hissed.  “Your Dad must not give a shit about you, why he left you!”  Keith twitched in anger, he clenched his fist then stormed off.  Lance knew that really got to him, he ran after him.

“Keith.”  He said calmly.  Keith kept walking, trying hard to not let any tears escape.  “Keith, it’s okay.”  He caught up.  Lance grabs his shoulder, forcing Keith to stop.  “That kid was an asshole anyways.  Don’t let him get to you like that.”  Keith looks at Lance with an angered look.

“Who the hell are you?”  Oh no…  “Who are you?!  Let me go!”  Keith pushed Lance off and continued to walk.  Lance wanted to walk away, wanted to leave him and not make it worse… but he couldn’t leave Keith like this.  He followed him.

“Keith it’s okay!”  Lance put his stuff down and grabs Keith’s arm.  “Listen to me, come back.  Come back to me.”

“What are you talking about?!  Where the hell am I anyway?!”

“Keith you’re at school.”

“Where’s Eomma?  Appa?”  He began to look around.  Lance sighs.

“They aren’t here Keith, just listen to me carefully.  I need you to come back, wake up and realize where you are.”  Keith raised an eyebrow at him.

“You sound like some kinda psycho.  You need help or somethin?”  He said with a slight southern accent.  Lance held his arm tight, he tried pulling him back.

“We need to call Shiro.  You can’t act like this in school.”

“Shiro?  Who’s Shiro?”

“Your brother.”  Lance tried pulling Keith towards the office, though Lance was shown to be stronger, Keith wouldn’t budge.

“Who are you trying to fool?  I don’t have a brother.”

“Yes you do Keith.  Come on.”

“You think I’ll just follow you anywhere?  I ain’t trusting a stranger.”  He hissed.

“We need to contact your family Keith, you need to go home.”  Lance said.  Keith tore his arm away.

“I want to talk to my family, my actual family!”

“Keith-”

“Shut it!  What time is it?”

“Keith-”

“Wow… did I do everything I needed to do?  Damn I don’t remember, urg goddammit!”

“Keith-”

“I need to help out before I do anything!  If I didn’t do my chores they’ll scold me and then I’ll have to hear them scold for-

“THEY’RE DEAD KEITH!”  Silence filled the air.  Keith stared at Lance, it was shocked mixed with anger.  Finally Keith spoke up.

“What the hell did you just say?”  He growls, Lance gulped but he kept his voice steady.

“They’re dead Keith!  Your parents, they’ve been dead for almost eight years.”  He said.  Keith shook his head.

“Who do you think you are?  You don’t know me, get lost ya loon.”  He kept walking.  Lance grabs his arm again and forces Keith to look at them.  “Let go!  You fucking moron!  I’ll call the police, this is rape!”

“Keith!”  Lance snaps, that caused the Korean to stay quiet.  “They’re dead.”  Silence again… Keith looks at Lance with wide eyes, then he began to tear up.

Memories flew in, he shook his head.

“No no… they aren’t dead.  They aren’t…”  He jerked his arm down violently.  Lance held on like his life depended on it.  “LET ME GO!  YOU’RE LYING!  LIAR!  YOU’RE A FUCKING LIAR!  WHERE ARE MY PARENTS!”

“You don’t have parents Keith!  They’re gone, all of them!  Just accept it!”

“YOU LIAR!  YOU DO NOTHING BUT LIE!  YOU’RE LYING TO ME!”

“I am not lying!”

“YES YOU ARE!  YOU ALWAYS LIE!”  Keith began to bawl.  “YOU FUCKING LIE ALL THE TIME LANCE!  YOU PROMISED TO NEVER LEAVE ME AND YOU DID!  I FELL IN LOVE WITH YOU AND YOU BROKE MY HEART!”  Lance stared at him with wide eyes.

“You… what?”  Keith didn’t stop jerking around, he was still going off.

“YOU’RE A LIAR!  I HATE YOU!  I HATE YOU SO FUCKING MUCH!”  He kept shouting, then he stopped.  Lance looks at him.

“Keith?”  He calls for him.  Next minute Keith fell on the floor, Lance panics.  “OH GOD!”  He picks Keith up and cradles him.  “Keith?  Keith, come on!”

Finally someone runs over to them.  Lance didn’t notice that a few of the teachers and office workers were watching the whole time.  Way to be helpful but in their defence, Keith was scary and didn’t want to get involved.  Plus that was probably the most dramatic thing they have ever witnessed that year.

“Lance?  Keith?”  Shay runs over.  “What happened?”

“Keith?”  Lance shook him, his breathing was off.  Lance looked at Shay in panic.  “Call a doctor!  I think he passed out due to shock!”

“Got it.”  Shay nods.  “Lucy call nine one one!”  She tells the secretary lady.  Teachers surround Lance and Keith trying to comfort Lance.  He felt his heart and stopped when he felt metal.  He pulls whatever it was out and saw the necklace he gave to him.

“You’re still wearing it?”  He asked like Keith was awake to answer.  He held onto Keith tight.  “I’m sorry Keith… I didn’t know.  I’m sorry.”

Doctors rushed in.  Lance practically forced his way on the ambulance, stating that he was going no matter what.

Shay was holding his stuff as he disappeared in the ambulance and drove off.  Hunk walks up to her with a confused face.

“What’d I miss?”


	33. Tell Me Everything

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Season 3 has me shook! I about cried after watching the first two episodes. DON'T SPOIL ANYTHING PLZ! I watch VLD with my sisters and Dad, my Father hates binge watching. But I still about cried when Lance had to give up Blue DX!!!  
> Anyways enjoy!

Keith woke up in a hospital bed, he looks around and panics.  He shook his head as he sat up.

“No no no.  No no no no no!”  He tried taking the IV out of his arm, he felt two strong hands push him down.  He looks up at Shiro who looked more tired than ever.  “Shiro?”

“Hey bud.  You’ve slept the entire day away.”

“Huh?”  Keith looked at the clock next to his bed.  Five thirty.  He groans.  “I can’t stay here, I’ve gotta go-”  Shiro pushed him down again.

“No, this time you’re staying.  I shouldn’t have held this off…”  Shiro sighs.  “Keith… Allura and I have been talking about this for a while now.  You aren’t getting better, so we want you to stay until the doctors know what’s up.”

“No!”   


“I know you fear hospitals Keith, but they’ll help you this time.  No one will die on you or lose a limb, okay?”  Shiro asks.  Keith looks away for a bit, he fell back on his bed.

“Fine.  But I won’t like it.”

“No one said you had to.  I’ll tell a nurse to keep an eye on you just in case.  Also I brought you some things in case you get bored.”  Shiro points at the yellow bag on the floor.  He walks out.

“Where are you going?”  Keith asks.

“Down to the lounge, I need to tell Allura and Lance you’re awake.”  He walks out of the room.  Keith was confused.

“Lance?”

* * *

Allura was walking around the lounge talking to her father while Lance was messing with a ball and cup.

“He’s fine father… ah, no.  No you don’t need to visit him.  He’ll be okay, just fainted is all.  No I’m not happy he fainted!”  She kept talking, Lance was getting annoyed with the toy.

Shiro walks in and took the toy from Lance.  He made the ball go in the cup first try, he hands it back to Lance.  Now even more annoyed and determined he tried again.  Allura noticed him and looks back at her phone.

“I’ll call you back, kay?  Kay, yeah… yeah love you too.”  She hung up.  “How is he?”

“Well he’s awake, and not happy to be in a hospital again.”  Shiro said.  Lance looks back at Shiro.

“Can I go see him?”

“Sure.”  Shiro said.  Lance got up and walks towards Keith’s room.  Shiro and Allura watch him walk out.

“Anything else?”

“No, I told him he was staying though.  I told him it was it was for the best.  I should have listened to you from the beginning.”

“Yeah you should’ve.”  She smirks.  Trust me Takashi, this is good for him.”  She said. 

“Wow way to be modest Allura.”  He teases her.  “I am blessed to have you.”  Allura’s smirk never left.

“I am the greatest thing you’ll ever get!”  She points out.  Shiro chuckles a bit.  “What?”

“You sound like that wife from “The Incredibles”.”  He said.  She rolls her eyes and pushes him.

“Whatever  _ Frozone _ .”

* * *

Lance peeks into the room and saw Keith resting his eyes.  He walks closer, Keith heard footsteps and saw Lance standing there.  They stared at each other for a few moments, not knowing what to say.

“Hi.”

“Yo.”  Lance sat on Keith’s bed and stares at him.

“How’re you feeling?”  He asks.  Keith held his head and groans.

“Like someone punched me in the head, besides that, and the crippling anxiety, I’m fine.”  He said.  Lance rubs his friend’s arm.

“It’ll be okay.”  Lance said.  Keith looks at him.

“How did you get here anyways?  Why are you here?  Why am I here?”

“You had a panic attack at school, I tried to help but I made it worse…”  Lance said.  “You passed out due to what I think is shock and well… here you are.”

“Oh.”  Keith looks down.  “Dammit.”  He sighs and closed his eyes again.  “So why are you here?”  He asks opening his eyes again.

“I came with you.”  Lance admits.  “I was scared but I didn’t want to leave again.”  He admits, Keith clicks his tongue.

“You should’ve stayed away.”  He tried to sound threatening but it wasn’t working.  “We aren’t friends so why bother.”

“Cause that’s a lie.”  Lance said quietly.  Keith looks over at Lance more shocked than angry.

“What?”

“Even if I tried to keep you away… I’ll always find my way back to you.  You’re hard to keep away Kogane, irresistible I guess.”  He teased a bit.  Keith’s eyes grew and he looks away.  “Still can’t handle it huh?”

“Shut up.”  He growls.  Lance chuckles and got up.  “Wait!”

“Hm?”

“Are you leaving?”

“Well I should go home… I told Mamá that I was here with you.  She demands to know how her baby is doing so I told her to give her details when I got home.”  He said.  “So I guess I’ll see ya la-”

“Please don’t leave!”  Keith begs.  Lance looks back at him, Keith kind of shied away and mutters.  “I-I mean… you … you can go.  I just want you… with me… just a little longer.”  Lance smiles and sat back down.

“Okay.”  He said.  “I’ll stay.”  Keith’s face lit up, he found a way to make the bed sit up slightly and talked with Lance a bit.  “I noticed Sarah’s bracelet found a new home.”

“Huh?”  Keith looked at his wrist, not there.  He panics and looks around.  “Where is it?!”  Lance points at the IV pole, it was hanging on there like a nice name tag.  Keith sighs with relief.

“I thought it was still on my wrist.”  He said.  Lance laughs.

“Do you treasure that now?”

“Duh!”  Keith said.  “It’s one of my prized possessions.  I love that bracelet.”  He stops.  “Your sister is special to me you know.”

“You’re special to her.  I swear my whole family has practically adopted you.”

“No they haven’t.  They didn’t pick me up and done the whole procedure.”

“McClain’s don’t give a shit.  Mamá likes you so you’re Mamá’s kid.”  Lance said.  Keith rolls his eyes and smiles.

“Sounds like Isabella.”  He said calmly.

“Yeah it does.”  Lance said, the two stayed silent for a moment.  “Well this is awkward…”

“Yeah… what’s new with your life?”

“Nothing.”

“Same.”  Another long pause.  Lance lays back, resting his head on Keith’s legs.  “Keith, I’m sorry about what I said at school… do you remember it?”

“Hm?”  Keith looks down at Lance.  “No, what happened?”

“You remembered your parents and well… I said that you needed to realize that they were gone.  You freaked out, this here is the end result.”  Silence.

“I think you were the first person to say that to me while I was out of it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well I think Shiro always tells me my parents are coming to get me or something.  Never tells me the truth… maybe I needed a reminder that they’re gone.”  Keith looks down.  “Remember that wish I made when I took you to see the stars?”

“Yeah.”  Lance nods.  “You wished to get better.”

“Well this is what I meant.  I wanted to get better.  I didn’t want to lose it anymore, to panic.  But I guess it’s my punishment.”

“What are you talking about?”  Lance asks.  Before Keith could answer Isabella runs in and pulls Keith into a death grip, or what she calls hugging.  She was in her work uniform so she snuck down to see Keith.  She was muttering Spanish in his ear, trying to sooth him.

“Mamá?  What are you doing?”

“You didn’t come home and tell me what happened so I came to see my baby!”  She snaps.  Isabella looks back at Keith with a sympathetic look.  “Are you alright Keith?”  Her motherly instincts kicked in and was smothering him with affection.

“I’m fine.”

“What happened?  Why are you here?!”

“I-I fainted… it’s nothing.”

“Didn’t seem like nothing…”  Lance mutters, Keith shot him a glare.  He didn’t need Isabella smothering him with more unneeded attention.  Isabella took her phone out and called her kids.

“What are you doing?”

“Calling my babies.”  She said.  “They want to see you.  Sarah has been waiting by the door for her dumb brother to come home.”  Lance rolls his eyes.  They heard Sam pick up.

“You know how hard it is to reach the phone and see who it is Mamá?”

“You still reached it.”

“Whatever, what do you need?”

“I found Keith.  Wanna say hi?”  She put her phone on speaker.

“Hey bro.”  Sam said.  “You liking the hospital life?”

“No.”

“Yeah it sucks.”  Sam laughs.  “Hold on hold on.   _ ¡La Princesa está al teléfono! _ ”  He shouts.  A few seconds later and a tiny voice squeaks.

“Kei Kei!”  Rico shouts.  Keith began to laugh.

“Hi Rico.”

“ _ ¡Es Kei Kei! _  Kei Kei!”  Rico shouts in joy.  They heard someone take the phone.

“Hi Princess.”

“Hey sweetheart.”

“Are you okay?”  She sounded like a mother checking on her child.  Keith chuckles.

“I’m fine.  Just fainted is all.”

“Don’t push yourself then.”  She scolds.  “You make sure you rest up now, got it?”

“Yes ma’am.”  He said trying to hold back his laughter.  Isabella put it off speaker and talked to Sam by herself.  When that was over with she put her phone away and looks back at her boys.

“Well I’ll be off.  You staying here Lance?”  She asks.  Lance nods, Isabella smiles.  “Okay then, I’ll see you two later.  Be good.”

“ _ Sí Mamá. _ ”  Lance said smiling back.  With that she left.  Lance went to the couch and turned the TV on.  Keith groans.

“No, no TV.”

“But I’m bored.”

“Read a book, or do something.”  Keith said.

“Oh okay, I’ll go read a book then.”  Lance said in a sarcastic tone.  Keith gave him a look.

“Not my fault you’re a shitty reader.”

“Not my fault you hate TV.”

“Okay… got me there.”  Keith shrugs.  

After a an hour Lance fell asleep on the couch, Keith had kept the TV on for him and pulled out a book to read.  The TV was just background noise in the quiet hospital.  A doctor walks in and notices Lance asleep.  He walks up to Keith.

“Hello Mr. Kogane.”  Keith looks at him quietly.  “I’m Dr. Rud.  I wanted to talk to you 

about your memory issue.”

“It’s not an issue.”  Keith said.  Dr. Rud nods a bit and looks back at his clipboard.

“It says here you passed out today.  Reports say you were screaming for your parents, 

but your brother says your parents are not with you anymore.”

“Yeah, my parents are dead.  Can we stop talking about it?”  He hissed.  Dr. Rud shook his head and went back to the clipboard.

“I can’t really tell what this is.  You remember other things just fine… but when troubled you seem to jump back to the past.  Like some sort of escape.”  He scratches his head.  “Have you ever witnessed something traumatizing?  You may have a form of PTSD, which is common, your brother has it.”  

“I don’t have PTSD, now leave me alone.”  Keith went back to reading.  Dr. Rud went out  to talk to Shiro and Allura.  He looks back at Lance who was still dead asleep on the couch.  He smiles and goes back to his book.

Moments later Shiro walks in and sat on the edge of Keith’s bed.  He pats his leg to get his attention.  He looks up from his book and stares at Shiro.

“Well, Allura wants to go home.  Will you be okay by yourself?”  He asks.

“I’m not really alone, that dork fell asleep about an hour ago.”  Keith nudged his head towards Lance.  “I’ll be fine.”

“Okay, good night Keith.”

“Night Takashi.”  Shiro shut the door to his room and left.  Keith puts the book down and adjusts his bed to make it flat.  He lays back and fell asleep.

* * *

Keith suddenly woke up screaming and flailing about.  That caused Lance to wake up panicking.  He ran over to Keith to try to calm him down.

“Keith?  Keith it was a dream!”  He grips his shoulders tight.  “It’s all a dream!”  He kept repeating.  A nurse ran in and tried calming him down.

After a few minutes the two saw him calm down.  He looks at the nurse then at Lance, he looked so confused.  He touched Lance’s face and raised an eyebrow.

“How did you get out?”

“What?”

“I saw you get hurt.  Your dad hit you, he broke your nose.”  Keith said in a rather sad tone.  Lance was confused, he thought Keith was way far back, now he’s remembering recent things.  This guys head was all over the place.

“Keith that was almost three months ago.”  Lance said.  He looks up at the nurse.  “I’ve got this now.”

“You sure?”  She asks.

“I think I can handle it.”  He said as Keith kept touching his face, still confused.  She nods and leaves them alone.  “Stop touching my face.”

“I’m sorry.”

“About what Keith?”

“He hurt you because of me.”  He said.  “It’s all my fault.”

“Keith it isn’t your fault.”  He rubs Keith’s hair.  “Come here.”  He pulls Keith into a hug.  “You’ve gotta wake up now buddy.”

“I’m awake.”  He mumbles.  The two stayed quiet for a while.  Lance finally asked.

“You back?”  A long silence was between the two.  Finally Keith answered in a shaky voice.

“I-I’m back.”

“Good.”  Lance lays back.  “That’s good…”

“I’m sorry about this.  This must freak you out.”  He said quietly.  Lance looks at him with a sad look.

“I heard you talking to the doctor.  I wasn’t asleep Keith.”  He said.  Keith just stares at him with a blank look.

“You always lie.”  He mumbles.  Lance rubs Keith’s head.

“Am I close enough now?”

“What?”

“Am I close enough to know the truth?  Can you tell me what happened?”  Lance asks.  “You wouldn’t tell the doctor anything… but can you tell me?”

“I don’t want anyone to know, Shiro doesn’t even know the whole story.”  Keith said quietly.  “I want to keep it to myself.”  He brought his knees to his chest and rests his chin on them.  Lance sat more on the bed.

“Keith I don’t want to force you… but maybe telling someone about it would help you.  So you wouldn’t carry that grief by yourself anymore.”  Lance said.  “If it makes you feel better I won’t tell anyone about it.”

“You won’t?”  Keith asks.  Lance nods and gave Keith a reassuring smile.  Keith took a deep breath.  “You know I lost my parents, and I lost Shiro’s…”  He hid his face in his arm.  “I-I killed them… all of them… it was- it was all my fault Lance.”


	34. What Really Happened Back Then

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is Keith's backstory. It's told like a normal chapter.

When you live on a farm you tend to wake up before the sun does.  That’s how Keith feels every time.  When his parents wake up and move around it’s usually a little dark out.  They get to bed at about eight and wake up at five.  That’s the daily routine, wake up, get to work, sleep.  Sometimes they go off to the farmers market and all, but that’s rare.

Since it was Texas they rarely got snow.  It was always great weather for growing crops and raising animals.  

Keith liked living where he did.  He went to a small school, a few friends, and a great family.  He was probably the luckiest kid around, no...he knew he was the luckiest.

“Keith?”  A calm voice tried waking him up that morning.  “Keith, sweetie.   _지금 일어나._ ”  She spoke in her native tongue.  Keith’s eyes flicker open and smiles at her.

“Morning Eomma.”  He said sweetly.  She helped him up.

“Good morning sweetie.”  She said.  Her big hazel eyes lock onto his violet ones.  “Come down and eat.”

“Kay.”  He got up and followed her down.  He sees his father and runs up to him.

“Morning Appa.”

“What’re you doin up?”  He asks in a playful voice.  “Thought you were sittin out today.”  Keith giggles.

“No!  I’m helping!”

“Oh ya think so?”  He asks.  Keith nods.  “Nah, I don’t think yer strong enough.”  He said, Keith looked offended.

“I am!”  He pouts.  “I’m the strongest kid in school!”

“You’re eight.”  His mom spoke up.”

“So?  I fought that Jones kid and WON!  And he was twelve!”  Keith said in a proud voice.  His mom gave him a look of disapproval, his dad pats his head.

“That’s ma boy!”

“Darrel… I don’t think we should be supporting that kind of behavior.”

“Come on Hyun-Jung.”  He smiles at his wife.  “Keith was showing this kid who’s in charge.”

“Me!”

“Keith I say protecting yourself is okay, however you shouldn’t fight people just because you feel like it.”

“Why not?”

“Cause that’s rude.  Fight someone when they hurt you.”  She said.  “Okay sweetie?”

“I guess.”  He pouts.  “Can I ride the horses today?”

“If we get done early.”  His dad said while calmly eating.

“Yay!  Let’s go now!”

“Finish eating.”  His mom points out.  Keith groans and went back to eating.  Hyun-Jung smiles in victory, then coughs a bit.

“Sweetheart sit down.  It’ll get worse if you walk around ya know.”  He scolds, she only rolls her eyes and sat down.  Keith stares at his mother, she’s been real sick lately.  He doesn’t know what it was, but she told him not to worry about it.

* * *

Keith watched his dad fix the roof on the chicken coop.  He handed him all the tools he needed.  Keith wished he could help fix things but since he was eight he couldn’t help out.

“Hand me the screwdriver.”

“Okay.”  Keith hands it to him.  “Hey Appa?”

“Hm?”

“Why did the chicken coop break?”

“Cause damn wild dogs came in and tried takin a few of our chickens.  The fuckers got a few of em.”

“We still have five.  Should we get more chickens?”

“Nah, we have a lot of animals and crops to sell.  Plus your Eomma makes a ton of fruit in that little garden of ers.”  He points at Hyun-Jung picking strawberries out of her tiny garden.  Keith could hear her cough from here.  Darrel hands Keith the screwdriver and hops off the coop.  “There, all fixed.  Now our girls have a safe place to sleep.”

“What about the dogs?”

“I’ll shoot em if they come near this place.”  He says.  “You collect the eggs, I’m getting the cows.”

“Kay.”  Keith went into the coop and collects a few eggs.  He puts them in the basket and walks out.  “Eomma!”  He calls to her.  “I didn’t get many eggs.  Reckon I got maybe five.”

“That’s okay Keith.”  She says.  “Just put them inside so we can wash them.”

“Kay.”  Keith walks with the eggs to his house, he avoids all his dogs and put the eggs on the table.  “Jeez you three!  I think Appa wants to sell those eggs.  Makin me about trip.”  He pets them.  “But y’all are so cute!”  He squeas.  “Yes you are~”

The dogs tackle the eight year old down.  He giggles and tries to avoid their affectionate kisses.

“Stop it!  Stop it you guys!”  He finally got up and runs outside, the dogs follow behind happily.  He ran over to his mother who was cutting off extra leaves with her pocket knife.  If there is one thing she loves more than that knife, it’s strawberries.  They were Hyun-Jung’s favorite.  Keith picks a random strawberry and smiles.  His mother hits his head.

“Stinker.”  She says.  The two giggle a bit, it was interrupted by hideous coughing.  Keith stops and gives his mother a worried look.

“Eomma?  You okay?”  He asks.  She looks at her son, trying to smile.

“I’m fine… I’m fine sweetie.”  She reassures him.  Keith couldn’t smile back, he was too

worried.  His mother wasn’t getting better at all.  She rubs his head and slowly stood up.  Keith’s father calls him over, his mother pushed him towards his father.  

“What is it Appa?”

“You wanted to ride, right?”  He asks.  Keith nods happily.  “Yer Eomma is gonna watch you.  I gotta go to the fields.”

“Oh I didn’t agree to that.”  She said.  Darrel gave her the reins to her horse.  “Jeez, fine I’ll ride.”

“Yay!”  He says as he climbs on.  Hyun-Jung was on a horse next to him.

“Ready Keith?”

“Ready!”  He says happily.  The two began to ride slowly.  Keith wishes he could go faster, but his parents usually punish him for going fast.  So he kept his slow pace and followed his mother.  “Hey Eomma?”

“Hm?”

“The Jones boys always ride horses in competitions, can I do that?”

“When you’re older.”  She says calmly.  Keith groans.

“When’s older?”

“Not now.  You still act like a child.”

“I am a child.”  He pouts.

“Exactly.  I don’t know what kind of argument you were making there, but you just lost it.”

“Shut up.”  He pouts again.  She giggles and continues to ride.  Keith just stayed quiet the rest of the ride.

* * *

That night Keith sat in the living room with his mother while his father was outside working still.  He leans against the dogs on the floor messing with a random toy his father use to own.  His mother was reading with a small bowl of her strawberries she picked next to her. The two enjoyed the quiet time they had.  She looks up at the clock.

“Keith, it’s time for you to go to bed.”

“Okay.”  He got up from his spot.  “ _안녕히 주무세요._ ”

“ _안녕히 주무세요._ ”  She says back.  Keith made it to the stairs when he heard his mother cough violently.

“Eomma?  You okay?”  He asks.  She kept coughing.  “Eomma?”  Hyun-Jung fell over, Keith panics.  “EOMMA?!”  He runs over and held her, he began to cry.  “APPA!  APPA!”

His father runs in when he heard his son crying for him.  He sees the issue and runs up to his wife.

“Hyun-Jung?”  He asks for her, she was out.  “Keith, call nine one one.  Tell them we need an ambulance!”  Keith nods and ran to the phone.  He saw his father checking his mother’s pulse.  He was scared, she’s been sick, but never this bad.

“Hello?”  A female operator comes on.

“Help my Eomma passed out!”  Keith cries to the operator.  She tells Keith to calm down and to say where he lived.  Keith didn’t really calm down but the ambulance did come.  They put his mother on a stretcher and takes her away.  Darrel held Keith close as he watches his mother drive away.

“She’ll be fine right?”  Keith asks.  “Right?”  His father said nothing.  He picks Keith up and carries him inside.

“We’ll go see her in the mornin, okay?”

“Kay…”  Keith cuddles into his father’s shoulder.  Keith laid in bed wondering about his mother.  He soon let sleep take him away.

* * *

The two walked into the hospital in the city.  Keith didn’t like cities, too big for him.  He held onto his father’s hand and walked next to him.  He noticed that the majority of people there were visitors.  Like he and his father, they had loved ones who were sick.

They went into her room and sat down next to her bed.  Keith saw all the tubes and face mask going in her body, it was something a child should never witness.  He sat next to his mother waiting for her to wake up and speak to them.  That didn’t happen for a few hours.

When she finally woke up she sees her two boys and smiles.

“Hello, what a lovely sight this is.”  She said in a tired voice.  Keith smiles happily and practically bounces in his seat.

“Mornin Eomma!”

“Mornin.”  She said.  “What happened?”  She looks up at her husband.

“Ya passed out love.  You were sittin with Keith one moment, then ya fainted.  If it wasn’t fer Keith makin a fuss it woulda probably been too late.”  Darrel said.  Hyun-Jung looks at her son and strokes the side of his face.

“Aw, did I scare you?  I’m so sorry my baby.”

“It’s okay Eomma.”  Keith said.  “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Yeah… I’m okay.”  She said happily.  Keith looks at his father with a bright smile.  The two stayed with her till the sun went down.  Keith fell asleep while there so Darrel had to carry him home.

They would visit her everyday after their chores, then as soon as night hit they went home.  It happened for almost two months.

Keith walks around the hospital in search of the library.  He was getting use to the hospital’s layout, which is something someone should not admit… cause that is just sad.

Keith came back with a book and saw his father talking to a doctor, he seemed sad.  Keith couldn’t hear them so he walked into his mother’s room.  She was a lot paler than before and her breathing was worse.  But Keith was positive she’ll be okay, cause she’s in a hospital.  So she’ll live.

“Eomma I found that book you told me about.”  He said.  She looks over with dead hazel eyes and tries to smile.

“That…. That’s good… why-why don’t… you read it to me.”  She said, talking tired her out.  She could barely breath.

“Okay.”  Keith began to read to his mother.  Darrel looks in at the two, he sighs and walks away.  He’ll let Keith have some time with her, it might be his last.

* * *

After the third month Darrel and Keith sat in her room, she looked like a ghost.  Keith was horrified, his mother was practically lifeless.  The only sign of life was a heartbeat and her breathing which sounded like she was suffocating.

Darrel told Keith to sit outside and let the two talk.  Keith nods and sat outside the room, a young nurse sat with him and comforted him.  After an hour Darrel walks out.  He looks at Keith with a depressed look.

“Your Eomma wants to see you, son.”  He said.  Keith slowly walks in, he sat down and waited for her to speak, she looks at him happily.

“My baby.”

“Eomma, you’ll be okay right?”

“Of course I’ll be okay.  After this, I’ll never be sick again.”  She smiled weakly.  Keith shook his head, not what he meant.

“No!  You’ll-you’ll come home and everything will be fine.”

“I’m not going home sweetie.  I’m goin away now.”  She said in a weak voice.  “But it’s okay.  I have no regrets now.”

“Eomma, please don’t talk like that!”  He cried.  “Please…”  It was almost a whisper.  She didn’t like seeing her son cry, she gave him a smile.

“Dry your tears beautiful.”  She said.  “Those eyes, they’re the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen, they’re even more beautiful when you smile.”  She said weakly.  Keith couldn’t manage a smile, not even a fake one.  He was still crying.

Hyun-Jung lifts her arm a bit and points at a box on the table.

“I was gonna give you that when you turned ten… but I won’t even make it to your ninth birthday…”  She said calmly.  Keith walks over and picks the box up.  It had no card.  “Sorry sweetie… I couldn’t get a card.”  She said laughing a bit.  Keith opens it and takes out her pocket knife.

He was confused, why was she going to give him her favorite knife?

“It’s like a symbol.”  She started.  “That there blade use to be my most prized possession.  But… then you came into the world, and you were the most amazing thing I have ever had.”  She slowly brought her thin hand to his face.  “You are amazing Keith.  You are strong, kind, sensitive, and oh so beautiful.  You take everyone’s breath away.”  She compliments him.

Keith was trying not to cry again.  He held onto the blade tight.

“I’ll-I’ll treasure it, like you treasured it.  I promise.”

“Sweetie, you’re my treasure.  I want you to treasure that like I treasure you.”  She said softly.  “Cause you are the most important thing in my eyes.”

“Eomma… I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

“This.  I-I’m not strong enough to save you.”  He whimpers.  She sighs.

“No one is sweetie.  But this means I’ve filled my purpose in life.  I came here, met your father, and had you.  I am not needed anymore.  You, you are meant for something greater… I can feel it.”

“No.  Eomma please.  Please don’t go.”  He cries.

“Keith… I can’t hold onto this life much longer.  If you love your mother, you’ll offer her peace at death.”

“Eomma…”  He hugs her.  “I love you, I’ll always love you.”

“I love you two, baby.”  She said in a weak voice.  “If I don’t see you again, then I’ll see you in the next life.”  He lets go and runs out, holding the knife close to his chest.  As soon as he was outside of the doorframe the heart monitor goes dead.  He slowly looks back at her… Hyun-Jung was gone.

Keith fell on the floor bawling his eyes out, still holding the blade close.  Darrel walks over and picks his son up.  He held him tight and soothed him.  They stood there as doctors and nurses ran in to save her.  But both boys knew that she wasn’t coming back.

* * *

Keith read over the name on the gravestone multiple times.

 _‘Hyun-Jung Kogane’  Loving wife and mother._ The quote under her name. _‘Goodbyes aren’t forever.  Goodbyes are not the end.  They simply mean ‘I’ll miss you’ until we meet again.’_

Keith tried to hold back his tears, only a few fell.  Darrel held his son’s shoulder and stared at his wife’s grave.  He puts a single leaf with a strawberry on it.  The two walked away from her grave.  Keith put his hands in his suit pocket and played with the switchblade in his hand.

* * *

The two lived went back to their normal lives, but the house seemed dead… kind of like the spirit of it was taken away with Hyun-Jung.

Keith grew distant from others and would fight more at school.  He stopped hanging out with everyone at school and became a loner.  Darrel didn’t blame him.

The two worked on the farm and would even water Hyun-Jung’s garden.  Since there were only two the work took a little longer.

But at the end of the day, the two would sit in the living room together.  It would be quiet and peaceful.  They’d sit down on the couch and do absolutely nothing, but it was perfect for them.  A weird but special father/son bonding time.

It was like that for a year, nothing changed.

One day Keith comes home from school looking more than pissed off.  Darrel notices and sighs.

“Okay… what happened this time?”

“It wasn’t my fault!”  Keith snaps as he sat down on the chair and began to pout.  Darrel stares at his son waiting for him to speak.  Nothing.

“Keith.”

“I didn’t do anything!”

“Then why did the school call saying you got into another fight?”  Darrel asks.  Keith got up and storms off.  “KEITH!”

“NO, FUCK YOU!”  The ten year old shouts.  He storms outside, his father walking after him.  Keith grew angry and climbed on the roof of the barn.  He stuck his tongue out at his father, knowing well that his father is afraid of getting on the barn roof.

“GET DOWN RIGHT NOW!  YA KNOW THAT ROOF IS UNSTABLE!”

“Oh this?”  Keith stood up and began to jump.  “This thing is unstable?”  Darrel could hear the roof creak and shift under Keith’s weight.

“KEITH AKIRA KOGANE YOU GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE NOW!”

“Make me!”  The kid was being a sassy shit.  Darrel took a deep breath and climbed the ladder to the roof.  “Oh shit.”  Keith tried running but Darrel made it to the top.  He grabs his son and smacks him upside the head.

“OW!”

“Get yer ass down.”  He commands.  Keith grumbles and walked towards the ladder, he started climbing down.  He watched his step as he went down, however his head shot up when he heard the roof shatter above him.  His head snaps back into view… his father wasn’t on the roof.

“Appa?”  He quickly got down.  “APPA?!”  He stumbles a bit as he ran around to the barn.  He grunts as he forces the door open, he looks in and saw his father on the ground motionless.  Keith ran up and cradled his father’s upper half.  He felt for a heartbeat, nothing.

“Oh no… no no no!”  He shook his father.  “Please, please don’t go!  Please Appa!”  He began to cry.  “I-I’m sorry!  I’ll be good!  I-I won’t get into fights anymore, I’ll do better in school!  I’ll do whatever you want just please don’t.”  He begs.  “Please!  You’re all I have now Appa!  Please don’t leave me!”  He lays his father down and curls into his chest.  “Don’t leave me alone…”  His pleas die away in the silence.

* * *

The police came later that night.  Keith sat in the living room glaring at the cops as they spoke.  They were taking everything away, all the barn animals, his furniture.  Hell the cops had to pry him away from his dogs.  He watched them put his father in the ambulance to take him away, they said the cause of death was a blow to the head.  Keith didn’t notice the blood till they pointed out he was covered in it.

The cops kept speaking as Keith tried to hear them, but they were too quiet.

“What do we do about the kid?  He’s orphaned.”

“Does he have any family that he can go to?”  One asks, a lady with them shook her head.

“No, his grandparents on both sides have passed away.  He has no Aunts or Uncles we can take him to.”

“Damn.”  The other cop looks at him.  “Poor kid… he’s alone now.”  The female walks up to him, trying to be nice but damn were those eyes soul piercing.

“Sweetie… we’re gonna go somewhere now.  We want you to pack up your things so we can take you to your new home.”

“New home?”  He growls.

“Yes, new home.  You can’t stay here.”  She says.  Keith shook his head, he wants to stay.  The female goes upstairs.  “I’m packing his things up, you take him to the car.”  Keith heard that and tried running.  The cop grabs him, he fought back.

“NO NO YOU CAN’T TAKE ME AWAY!  I WANNA STAY HOME!  I DON’T WANNA GO!  I WANT MY EOMMA AND APPA!  I WANT MY PARENTS!  YOU PUT ME DOWN NOW!”

“We’re going now.”  He puts Keith in the back of a police car.  He screams and throws a tantrum trying to get out.  He heard someone putting bags in the trunk.  He saw the cops come back in the car and began to drive away from the farm.  That was the last time Keith had ever seen his home.

* * *

A year later Keith had lived in an orphanage and nobody would take him.  He was too aggressive and moody.  No parent wants that, which was fine by him.  Keith became cold and distant to everyone, even the other kids.

Whenever they ate he’d ignore the prayer and start eating, he’d be the first to finish.  He stayed in his room majority of the time.  He was so violent that he had to have his own room, he didn’t mind that though, it was just him and three other empty beds.  He never shared with anyone, never played or did anything.  He just hid away from the world.

He got up from his bed and began to walk around, he saw a small bookshelf in the living room.  He took one and read the back, he shrugs and began to walk upstairs.

“Hey Keith, where ya going?”  The man of the house asks.  Keith held up the book.  “Oh, you’re reading?  Good for you, getting into something that helps your brain grow!”  He sounded too positive for Keith, he tried hard not cringing at the voice.  “Remember to bring it down when you’re done.”

Keith rolled his eyes and went upstairs again.  He sat in his room and began to read, he was surprised by how much he was reading.  He was so invested in the story that he hadn’t realized the time till it was lights out… he missed supper.  He puts a scrap of paper in between the pages like a bookmark and walks downstairs.  He saw the lady who ran the place washing dishes, she looks at Keith with an unhappy face.

“Hope you’re not down here to get something to eat.”  She said.  Keith flicks his tongue and reached into the fridge.  “Young man you go back upstairs.  You missed out so you won’t get supper tonight.”

“Can’t make me Nancy.”  Keith took a small juice carton and a chip bag.  He walks back upstairs, leaving the unhappy lady alone.

He opened the book again and was content again.

* * *

A few days went by and Keith had finished five books, he found something to do in his free time besides getting into fights with the other kids.  He saw volunteers come in and help out like always, he never interacted with them.  Whenever they came in he’d hide in his room like a cat with strangers.  He curled up in the chair in the living room and kept reading, trying to avoid all eye contact.  He notice a tall man walk by him and stare him down, he had a soft look to him.  Something that said strong… but gentle.

Keith looks away quickly and began to read again.  The man chuckles and walks up to Nancy.

“Hello again Nancy.”

“Oh Mr. Shirogane.  How’s your day?”

“Good.  I came to help out again, if that’s alright with you.”

“I’m always looking for help.”  She got out a list of things he could do.  “Pick anything from there, and do only one this time.  Last time you did half the darn list and still hung out with the kids.”

“Yeah yeah, but they’re all a joy to be around.”  He looks back at Keith.  Nancy saw him staring at the lonely kid.

“Ignore Keith Mr. Shirogane, he hates everyone.”  She said in a cold tone.  Keith didn’t care what she said and continued to read.

After he did one thing he walks over to Keith who was still on the chair reading.  He watched him for a moment before speaking.

“What’s that ya got there?”

“Nothing.”  He said.

“Nothing?  Looks like a book to me.”

“No, ya don’t say.”  Keith was being cold like usual.  However this “Shirogane” wasn’t leaving him alone or walking away like the other adults.  He instead laughs.

“Well thank God I’m not blind.”  He said with a smile.  “What’s it about?”

“A girl wishing to find her true love, she wished it on the night one star was in the sky.”  He said.  “That’s it.”

“Sounds interesting.”

“It is actually.  The girl makes the wish and all this crazy stuff starts happening!  It’s like she’s getting more than she ever wished for!”  Keith said in excitement, he realized he was smiling.  He quickly hid his face in the book and waited for the man to leave.  He chuckles at Keith’s attitude.

“You have a beautiful smile.  Keith right?”  He said.  Keith peaks over the book slightly, only his eyes showed.  He looks at him with big, confused eyes.  Nodding slightly at the question, he went back to reading.  The man smiles.

“Well it was nice meeting you Keith.”  He got up and walked away.  Keith felt a little heartbroken that the man left.  He ignored it though and kept reading.

* * *

Shirogane comes back a few weeks later.  Keith heard his voice and slowly went down to check if it was really him.  He wanted to meet him again but was a little embarrassed to ask Nancy if he was coming back.

He noticed a boy was standing next to him, Keith stayed on the stairs and watched.

“Glad you’re back… oh and who’s this?”  Nancy asks.

“This is Takashi, my son.  He wanted to help out today.”  He said.  Takashi smiles sweetly.

“How old are you Takashi?”

“Thirteen ma’am.”  He said.  Nancy smiles.

“Such a respectful young man.”  She hands the man a clipboard.  “Well here ya go.”

“Thank you.”  He walks to the stairs and saw Keith standing there, he smiles at the young boy.  “Hello again Keith.”  Keith turned red and ran back upstairs, he hid in his room and waited for him to leave.

Takashi looks at his father.

“Dad, what’s wrong with him?”

“That kid might be a little awkward.  I think he’s got some social anxiety.”  He said.  Nancy walks over.

“You mean Keith?”  She asks, the two nod.  She rolls her eyes and walked off.  “I said ignore him, he hates people.  Always fighting and being aggressive, that’s why nobody ever adopts him.  Nobody wants a trouble maker.”  She went back into the kitchen.

Takashi looks up at his Dad with a sad look, his father was making the same face.  That sounded awful, nobody wanted him.  He was always rejected and thus he thought nobody would take him, he hid away and accepted his fate.  Shirogane looks at his son with a smile, Takashi was confused.

“What?”

* * *

The next day Keith walks down to trade books, he saw Takashi was talking to Nancy handing her something.  He looked over at Keith and smiled, he walks up to him.

“Hi, you’re Keith right?”

“What’s it to you?”  He asks coldly.  Takashi kept a smile on his face.

“I wanted to talk to you before but you ran away so fast.  I think proper introductions are in order.”  He held his hand out awkwardly.  “I’m Takashi Shirogane.”  He said bowing slightly.  Keith looks at him, he felt a little shy but he thought he might as well introduce himself.

“Keith… Keith Kogane.”  He bows.  Takashi’s eyes grew.

“Oh…”  He bows back.  “I’m sorry, so use to shaking people’s hands.  Never thought I’d meet another Asian.”  He started to chuckle nervously.  Keith began to laugh as well.  He heard a woman call Takashi’s name.  “Gotta go.  See ya.”  He runs out.

Keith held himself close, that was the first kid he talked to in so long.  It felt nice.

* * *

A week went by when Keith was called down.  He groans at the caretaker's and walks down.  They told him to sit down.

“What is it?”  He asks Nancy.  She looks over with a bright smile.

“Keith… you’ve been adopted.”  She said happily.  Keith’s eyes grew, he thought he was dreaming.

“What?!”  He asks.  Nancy nods with her husband.

“They’ve filled out everything, they’ll be here to pick you up tonight.  We’ve packed your clothes and everything.”  Nancy was too excited to lose Keith, but she didn’t care.  Keith was just happy to get the hell out of the orphanage.

* * *

That night Keith saw a small van pull up.  He was looking at the car, nervous about meeting his new family.  He played with his knife as negative thoughts raced through his head.

What if it was a mistake?  Maybe it wasn’t him, but another kid?  What if they didn’t like him and decided to leave him there?

He saw a silhouette walk out of the driver’s seat and walk towards them.  Keith’s eyes grew, Shirogane walks up and smiles down at him.

“Hello Keith.”

“What are you doing here?”  He asks in a small voice.  Shirogane laughs.

“I came to pick you up.”  Keith felt himself go into shock.

“You… you adopted me?”

“Uh huh.”  He took Keith’s hand.  “Come on.”  He lead Keith into the van, Nancy and her husband put Keith’s stuff in the back.  Keith crawls into the car, still playing with the knife.  Mr. Shirogane climbs into the driver’s seat and began to drive home.

“It’s a long drive home so get comfy.”  He said.  Keith looks up at him.

“Um… Mr. Shirogane?”  He grew quiet.  “I-Is it okay if I call you Dad?”  That got him to laugh out loud.

“As long as it’s okay to call you son.”  He said.  Keith gave him a big smile and nods happily.  His father pats his head.  “Still a beautiful smile.”

* * *

Keith fell asleep during the ride, his father woke him up as they reached the city.

“Keith.. We’re almost home.”  He said quietly.  Keith rubs the sleep out of his eyes and looked out the window.  He gasps, the city was so colorful in the dark.  So many people and cars, it filled the entire city.  They pulled into an apartment complex and got out.

Keith helps his father carry the bags into the apartment building, the two were growing tired by carrying the bags up the stairs.  When they got into their apartment a woman run in and scoop Keith in her arms.  He panics.

“Hello Keith it’s so nice to finally meet you!”  She said happily.  Keith looks at her confused.  He nods and looks away.

“H-Hi Mom.”  He said quietly.  She about squealed in delight.  She hugs him tighter.

“My beautiful baby~”  She sings.  “Takashi!”  She calls.  Takashi walks out and his face lit up, he ran to Keith and hugged him.

“You’re finally here!”

“Ah!”  Keith was flat out embarrassed.  He looks at Takashi like hugging was foreign to him.  Takashi refused to let him go.

“Welcome home little brother.”  He said quietly.  Keith felt tears prickle out of his eyes, the first time he’s cried in a year.  He hugs Takashi back and nods.

“I-It’s good to be home…”

* * *

Keith sat in his new room looking around at all the space he had.  It was like a dream being back in a home.  He walks over to the window and stared at all the lights and cars.  It was so different from the farm.

“Keith.”  Takashi calls him over.  “Come on it’s time to eat.”  He said.  Keith nods and walked out to the table.  His mother hands him a plate.

“Here you go.”  He saw everyone began eating.  No prayers or anything, works for him.  He began to eat happily, Takashi started to chuckle.

“You enjoy the food?”  He asks, Keith nods.

“Well good.”  Their mother spoke up.  “I worked hard making it, it’s a special night after all.”  Keith felt embarrassed with all the attention, especially from his mother.  She noticed it.  “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing… it’s just…”  He looks down.  “I haven’t had a mom in years.”  He said.  She walks over to him and wraps her arms around him as he ate.

“Well you have one now sweetie.”  She said in a calm voice.  Keith smiles and cuddles into her arms.  “Finish eating so we can all go to bed.”

“Kay.”  Keith said.

“Aw man, really?”  Takashi complains.

The family got done and all turned in for the night.  Keith was changing into comfortable clothes when Takashi came in.

“Um… goodnight.”

“Night.”  Keith said.  Takashi rubs the back of his head.

“Sorry if I’m being weird… I’ve never… never ever had a sibling before.  So I don’t know what I’m doing.”  He said awkwardly.  Keith nods.

“I never had a sibling either.”  He said with a smile.  “So I guess we’ll both have to learn how to be siblings.”

“I guess.”  Takashi smiles.  “Night Keith.”  He left.

“Yeah.”  Keith crawls into bed and smiles as he drifts off into sleep.  “Night…”

* * *

The Shirogane home was much different.  For starters they woke up later, they all had weird work schedules, and since it was summer Keith and Takashi were alone.

The two hung out in the living room watching TV, well Takashi was, Keith got bored of it and grabbed a book.  It was weird that he hated TV, he never minded it before but now he flat out didn’t like it.

He prefered reading over TV, words over bright colorful screen.  He concluded that he was just weird.

“So…”  Takashi turned the TV off.  “Wanna talk?”

“About what?”  Keith asks still looking at his book.

“Like let’s get to know each other.”

“Um… I don’t have much to say about me… I’m a boring person.”  Keith said in a shy voice.  Takashi laughs.

“Wow, one thing in common.”  That got Keith to laugh.  “Okay I’ll start.”  Takashi thought.  “Favorite color?”

“Red.”

“Purple.”  He said.  “Okay, so how about… food.”

“Steak.”

“Wow… um I’ll say oyakodon.”

“Oyakodon?”  Keith asks.

“It’s something mom makes sometimes… not often.  I don’t blame her, it’s a pain to make but it’s so good!”  Takashi said.  “We can ask her to make some later.”

“Okay.”

“Next question, favorite animal.”

“Dogs and cats.”

“Cats!  Hi five!”  He high fives Keith.  “Alright um…”

“Girlfriend?”  Keith asks.  Takashi looks down embarrassed.

“No, you?”

“Ew.”  Keith giggles.  “Girls are gross.”

“What?”  Takashi laughs.  “You’ll think differently when you’re older.”

“Never!”  Keith kept laughing.

“Oh you will.”  He teased, Keith threw a pillow at him.  “THIS MEANS WAR!”  They kept laughing and throwing pillows at each other, until they heard a knock at the door.  Takashi walks over and opens it.

“Yo Shiro!”

“Hey Matt.”  Keith peaks at the door, the new person gave Keith a confused look.

“Who’s the kid?”

“Matt meet my little brother, Keith!  He came home yesterday.”  He said happily.  Keith lowers himself trying to avoid Matt’s gaze.  Matt ran up and leaned over the couch, freaking the small boy out.  He glares at him.  Matt gave him a dorky smile.

“Nice to meet ya.”  He said.  Keith looks down.

“N-Nice to meet you too… I guess.”  He said, that made Matt laugh.  Takashi did as well.

“Dang Shiro, your new brother is shy.”  He comments.

“Call him Keith, Matt.  He isn’t a dog.”  Takashi said.  “Also he’s adjusting, from what Dad said Keith has a hard time with people.”

“Well I’m Shiro’s best friend!”  Matt says in a goofy voice.  “You have no choice but to accept me!”  They waited for Keith’s response.  Matt began to wonder if he made a mistake, however Keith’s reaction made him feel better.

“No.”  Keith lightly hits Matt’s face.  Matt lightly hits him back.  “Nooooooooo.”  The two had a pathetic fight.  Takashi smirks, evil idea.

“DOGPILE ON KEITH!”

“HUH?!”  Keith couldn’t react when Takashi said that.  Takashi jumps over the couch and lands on the eleven year old.  Keith made an attractive noise and became a slug under his brother’s weight.  “Mmmmmmm.”

“Ha ha soooo comfy.”  Takashi said.  Keith groans in discomfort.  Takashi turned over and rested his head on Keith’s with a smile.

“Vet ov ov heh.”  Keith said, mouth full of couch cushion.

“What?”  Takashi asks in a sly voice.  Keith turns his head slightly.

“Get off of me!”  Keith snaps.  Takashi looks away with the same shit eating grin.

“Nah…”

“GAH GET OFF!”  Keith shouts.  “I WILL FIGHT YOU!”

“Bring it.”  He got off, Keith tackles him down.  The two wrestled around for a bit before Takashi put Keith in a headlock and smirks.  Matt made a bell noise.

“Ding ding ding we have a winner!”

“Cheater.”  Keith mumbles.  Matt smiles.

“It’s been one day and you two are already acting like brothers, how sweet.”  He pretends to wipe a tear away.

“What do you mean?”  Takashi asks.

“Well my sister and I wrestle all the time.”

“You wrestle with your nine year old sister?”  He asks.  Matt nods.

“Age or gender does not play a role, you have siblings you wrestle.  It’s how we show our affection.”

“Yeah… really feeling the love in this headlock.”  Keith comments.  Takashi chuckles.  He put him in a stronger one causing Keith to choke.

“I love you thiiiiiiiiis much!”  He said.

“I will murder you in your sleep!”  Keith said.  Takashi laughs.

“Ouch.”

“You got a violent one, didn’t ya Shiro.”  Matt said.

“Why are you calling him “Shiro”?”  Keith asks.  Matt looks at Keith confused.

“I couldn’t pronounce his name when we first met, had a speech impediment.  So I called him Shiro, short for Shirogane.”  Matt said.  Keith looks at his brother.

“I’m gonna call you Shiro too.”  He said.  Shiro laughs.

“You do that.”  He said.  “God you started a trend of people calling me Shiro instead of my actual name.  First my class, then sometimes my parents, now my brother.”

“Can you let me go now?”  Keith asks.  Shiro releases his grip.  Matt looks at Keith with a confused look.

“What grade you going in?”

“Um… I don’t know… sixth?”

“Aw good luck.  Shiro and I will be freshmen in the high school.”

“Damn.  And my Mom is making me do college classes on top of my normal ones.  Such a tiger mom.”

“I’m taking college classes too genius.”

“Yeah… but you’re smart.  I’m Asian.”  Shiro said.  Keith let the two talk, he listened in to get an idea on who Matt was.  After that Matt left and Shiro stood up.

“Sorry bout that.  We’ve been best friends for years so sometimes he’ll pop in unannounced.”  He said.  Keith shook his head.

“It’s fine.”  Shiro looks around.

“Wanna go out and do something?  I can show you around the city.”

“Like where?”

“Um… we have a lot of places that we could visit.  Come on we can walk around for a bit.”

“Okay.”  Keith got up and followed Shiro out the door.

* * *

School started and Keith was already getting into trouble.  He fought, talked back, and already broke a plate.

Shiro was walking home with him since they got kicked off the bus due to fighting, you can guess who was involved.

“Keith…”  Nothing.  “Keith come on!”

“I didn’t do anything wrong.”  Keith pouts.

“You punched the kid in the face.”

“He kept calling me squinty eyes.”

“Weird since you have big eyes.”  Shiro comments.  “But that’s not the point, you can’t fight people because they said something you didn’t like.  Though I’m impressed you took down some eighth graders.”

“They’re a bunch of low life varmint.”  Keith went back to his southern accent.  Shiro groans.

“Mom is gonna be pissed off.”

“Let her be, not my fault.”

“You have a temper.”  Shiro points out.

“I don’t have a temper, fuck you.”

* * *

As soon as their mother came home she looks at Keith with a disappointed look.

“The school called me today.  Care to explain?”

“Not my fault.  They started it.”  He pouts.  She didn’t move at all.  Keith glares.  “They kept making fun of me!  Making fun of me for being new, for being bad at math despite being Asian, and for looking girly!  I ain’t taking that!”  She gave him a look of disapproval.

“You are grounded.”

“From what?!”  Keith had no clue what he’d be grounded from.  He didn’t own a phone, didn’t watch TV and didn’t have friends.  What could she possibly take away.

She held out her hand anyways.  It took awhile for it to click.

“Are you serious?”

“Dead serious.”

“Mom that’s ridiculous!”  He snaps.  “Normal kids don’t get-”

“Now Keith.”  She commands.  Keith got up and storms in his room.  He grabs his book and library card.  He walks back and shoves it in her arms.  She walks away with it in her hands.  He pouts and sat next to Shiro.

“Told you Mom would be mad.”  He said.  “You can’t keep getting into fights.”

“Shut up, it wasn’t my fault.”

“You’ll be talking to your Father when he gets home young man.”  Their mother buts in.

“ISN’T TAKING MY STUFF PUNISHMENT ENOUGH?!”

* * *

Shiro sees Keith walk out after getting scolded by their father.  He follows him trying to cheer the moody child up.

“Keith it’ll be okay.”

“No, I’m grounded for a month because I punched a kid.”  He walks into his room and lays back.  “I’m bored now!”

“Well that’ll teach you not to fight people.”

“I got mad, so I punched them.”

“That’s not how that works Keith, don’t you want friends?”  Shiro asks.  Keith looks down and shook his head.  “What?”

“I-I never had friends… after my Appa and Eomma died I became distant and didn’t want friends.  I don’t even know how to talk to people anymore.”  Keith confessed.  Shiro tried not to laugh.  His brother was a socially awkward muffin.

“Do you know anything that friends would talk about?”

“Like?”

“Normal things boys usually talk about.”

“No.”  Keith shook his head.  Shiro sighs, he hugs his brother.  “Why are you hugging me?”

“You’re just… so pure… so pure my little brother is.”  He chuckles.  Keith pouts, he wasn’t pure.  Or at least he didn’t think he was pure.  Shiro pulls away and got up.

“I promised Matt I’d hang out with him today, I’ll see you tonight.”

“What?  But I’ll be lonely and bored!”

“Talk to Mom and Dad.”

“They hate me.”  Keith pouts.  Shiro sighs.

“Keith they don’t hate you.  They just aren’t happy with your poor choices.  Trust me they’ve done the same thing to me and they still love me.”

“But you’re their kid by blood.  I’m some kid they found in a shitty orphanage.”  Keith said coldly.  Shiro felt bad, he didn’t say anything.  Instead he left Keith with those thoughts.  Keith lays down and tries to sleep.

Minutes went by and he heard a knock.  He didn’t answer, he stayed quiet.

“Keith?”  His mom calls.  “I’m coming in.”  She walks in and sees Keith laying down looking away from the door.  He really didn’t want to talk to her.  He got the scolding of a lifetime and got his stuff taken away.  What more does she want?

“Keith.”  She sat on the foot of his bed and stares at him.  “Sweetie.”  She touches his foot, he moves his legs away in response, curling into a ball.  “Takashi told me what you said.”

No response.  
“Do you think we hate you?”  She asks.  “Cause that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

“Yeah right…”  Keith mutters.  “No one liked me because I was violent.  You got mad at me and said you were disappointed because I got into a fight.  You’ll probably take me back.”

“No, no sweetie.  Why would you think that?”

“Cause it’s the truth.”  Keith kept his voice quiet.  He heard his mom sigh.

“Sit up Keith.”  She said.  He did as he was told, he sat up and looked down.  She put a hand on his shoulder  “Listen to me, you are just as much of a son to me as Takashi is.  It doesn’t matter if it’s blood or not, you are still my son.”  Keith stayed quiet.

“I’m upset because you got into a fight, I know you’re better than that.  You don’t have to stoop to such a low level.”  He became more upset, she smiles.  “You know what your Father said about you, before we adopted you?”  He shook his head slowly.  “He said that even without talking, he could tell that you were a smart, bright, kind, and beautiful child.”

Keith slowly looked up at her, his eyes watery.

“Dry your tears Keith, your eyes are more beautiful when you smile.”  She said.  Keith felt tears coming, he hugs his mother and hid his face in her.

“Eomma…”  He whimpers.  “Eomma…”  He realizes who he was calling too, he took a deep breath and clung tighter.  “Mom, don’t leave me.  Ever.”

“Oh Keith.”  She hugs him back and rubs his head lovingly.  “I won’t leave you.”  She promised.  Keith wouldn’t let go of her, he feared that if he were to let her go she would be gone.

* * *

Years have passed and the family remained the same.  Shiro was almost done with school due to his mother pushing him to excel, which was fine since Matt was on the same boat.  Keith still was a loner who had no friends, which he was okay with cause he had his family and that was fine by him.

They all went out one night for no reason other than to have family time.  It was really fun for them, even if Keith decided to be funny and stab Shiro with a fork.  He made a manly noise and jumps away.  Their parents laughed at them, Shiro glares at Keith.

“What?”

“I hate you.”  He said quietly.  Keith giggles.

“You’re a big, strong man.  Learn to take a hit.”  He said.  “I mean a baseball has hit you

in the head.”  Keith said.  “Well I mean I can’t blame them, you dyed your hair bright white.  People only see a bright white target.”

“Ooooh!”   His parents acted like Shiro got severely roasted.  Shiro gave the ‘I hate my life’ look.  The whole table continued to joke and laugh

As they left the restaurant it began to rain, they all laughed again and ran to their car.  Shiro pushed Keith into a puddle.  Keith hit it and glares at his brother.

“Dude!”  He got out.  “My pants are soaked!  Oh God it’s sticking to my leg!”  He squeals in distress.  Shiro laughs and ran off.

“What you get for wearing skinny jeans!”  Shiro shouts.  Keith ran after him.

“SHIRO!”

“Boys!  Quit running!”  Their father yells.  Their parents run after them trying to avoid the rain.  They made it to their car and drove off.  They all breathed and gave a relieved sigh.

They began to drive down the slightly busy road.  Keith and Shiro fought each other in the back.  They laughed like children and kept fighting.  Their mother drove and tried to ignore her kids, their father was laughing with them.

“Die!”

“You die!”  Shiro shouts back.  The continued fighting and laughing.

“Stop fucking hitting me!  You’re stronger!”

“Keith!”  Their mother snaps.

“But he’s hitting me!”

“No swearing!”

“Sorry.”  He said.  Shiro laughs at him.

“Ha ha you got called out.”

“Shut up!  Fucking bitch.”

“Keith!”

“Sorry!”  He whines.

“Why don’t you have a seatbelt on?!”

“Cause I hate it, I’m not up there so I won’t get hurt.”  Keith said.

“No, buckle up now.”  She said.

“No.”

“Keith!”  She looks back real quick to snap at him.

“I’m fine.”  He said.  The two argued.  She looks back and groans.  She sighs and continued to drive.  “I win.”

“You’re gonna get it.”  She chuckles.  Keith reached over the seat and messed with his mother’s hair.

“Am I?  Am I now?!”  He asks.  She began to slap his hands.

“Knock it off you twerp!”  She laughs.

“HONEY!”  Their father shouts.  They look over and scream, she moves away.  Keith fell back due to no seatbelt.  The car swerved to the side, another car came around the corner and smacked into their car.  The car tilted to the driver’s side.

Shiro unbuckled himself and held Keith close to keep him safe.  The car landed on the driver's side and moved a couple of feet across.  Shiro and Keith fell out of the car, the car continued to move and hits the sidewalk before it stopped.

Keith knocked his head against the pavement and knocked out.

* * *

He woke up to see Shiro holding him.  He looks up to see Shiro passed out, he felt heat on the other side of him.  He looks over and saw the car on fire.

His eyes grew in size.

“Mom…?  Dad?”  He looks around, they weren’t anywhere.  He looks up at Shiro.

He sees blood pooled around them.  It was coming from Shiro’s arm, Keith screamed.

“SHIRO!”  He tried getting up but his leg was broken and his head hurt due to knocking it in the pavement below.  “Shiro… Shiro?”  He got closer and felt for his heart.  Still beating.  He sighs.

“Thank God.”  Medics came up and helped Keith and Shiro up.  He looked over and saw them carry two burned bodies out of the car.  He tried running to them.

“MOM, DAD!”  He calls.  The medics held him back and carried him into the ambulance.  He cries.  “NO!  NOT AGAIN!  NOT AGAIN!  I’M SORRY, PLEASE COME BACK!”  He tried fighting his way out.

* * *

Keith saw his leg cast and began to limp around.  A doctor came over and gave a serious look.

“Keith?”

“Yeah?”

“Come this way.”  He was put in a wheelchair and was lead to another section of the hospital and into a surgery room.  He saw Shiro laying there with his right arm missing.  Keith got up and hugged Shiro who woke up from that.

“Huh?”  He looks around.  “Keith?”

“Where’s your arm!”

“What?”  Shiro looks at his arm, well he looked at the stub where his arm use to be.  “What the-?”  He began to cry.  “Where is it?”

“Takashi?”  He looks up at the doctor.  “You lost it due to glass, scraped against the pavement and crushed.  It was a dead arm sir.”

“No…”

“Well it’s a good thing it was only your arm.”  He said.  Keith looks at the doctor in horror.

“Fix this!”  He shouts.  “Fix this now!”

“Calm down Keith.”  The doctor said.  “You should be glad he helped you.  If it wasn’t for him protecting you, you would’ve probably lost some body parts… or worse.”  Keith’s eyes grew, he looks at Shiro.

“Why?  Why did you do that?!”  Keith snaps.  Shiro smiles and looks down.

“Gotta protect my baby brother.”  He said.  Keith cried and hugged Shiro close.

“I’m sorry Shiro… I’m so sorry.”

“It was my choice…”  Shiro layed back down and fell asleep.  The doctors helped him out of the room.

“You two will need to stay until your brother heals.  You two are all you have left.”  He said.  Keith looked away, he didn’t talk, didn’t do anything.  They pushed him back and he stared at the wall.

He fell back and began to rest.

* * *

He woke up hours later screaming and wondering what happened.  Doctors came in and calmed him down.  He stared at them in confusion.

“W-Where am I?”

“You were screaming sir.  Are you alright?”

“Huh?”  He remembered seeing fire and death and then nothing.  “Where am I?!”  
“At the hospital.”  They said.  They questioned him and left.  He sat alone in the room and looked at his hands.  He came to realize what had happened.  He cried in his hands and whimpers.

“It’s all my fault!  I’m so sorry… forgive me please!”  He cries.  “It’s my fault, it’s all my fault…”


	35. The Family's Here

Lance looks at Keith with wide eyes, he was trying so hard not to cry.  He couldn’t believe that all of that was true, and it happened to one person.  No wonder Keith didn’t want to get close to anyone, he was afraid of losing them.

“Keith… I’m so sorry.”

“Why?  You didn’t do anything…”

“You didn’t either!”

“I left my Eomma, I made the roof weak and caused my Appa to fall.  I distracted my Mom and killed both her and my Dad.  And Shiro protected me causing him to lose his arm.  That was all my fault.”

“Keith.”  Lance got closer.  “None of that was your fault.”

“Yes it was.  All of it, every single one!  They all died because of me!  I practically killed them!”  He yells, burying his face in his hands.  Lance forced his hands away and made Keith look up at him.

“None of that was your fault.”  He said calmly.  “Okay?”  Keith didn’t say anything, he just stared at Lance.  

“Everyone I knew and cared about got hurt or… died.”  Keith said quietly.

“You haven’t lost me yet, right?”

“No… but I will…”  Keith said.  “That’s why I was so afraid of becoming your friend.  I thought something bad was going to happen… then your Dad showed up.”  He looks down.  “You got hurt because I came down and showed myself.”

“That man was nuts.”  Lance said.  “You weren’t at fault either.”

“What was odd was… you stayed my friend.  You stayed with me.”  Keith smiles slightly.  “That made me so happy… but… then something changed.”

“I began to value you over everyone else.  I wanted to be with you, but you pushed me away… and all I felt was anger and sadness.  I couldn’t stand losing the one person who gave me a chance.  The one who made me feel… special.”  Keith said.  Lance felt his face go hot.

He had no idea he made Keith feel that way, but in some ways it was true.  Lance spoiled Keith with attention.  Always being there for him, taking him in when he needed to escape.  Took him out with their friends, hell his family practically took him in.

The two stayed silent for a while.

“I’m gonna go now, I think my family’s worried.”  He said.  Keith reached for him.  Lance looks over.  “You… you need something?”

Keith puts his hand down and looks down.  Still avoiding eye contact he held his arms out for a hug.  Lance chuckles but gave in and hugged Keith.  Keith forced Lance to fall back with him, Lance was resting on Keith’s chest face flushed red.  He was glad Keith couldn’t see him.

“If you stay with me you’re gonna die.”

“I won’t.”  Lance said.  “No one is gonna die…”

“You can’t say none of that was my fault.”

“None of it was Keith.”

“You don’t know anything Lance.”  Keith started petting Lance and stared at the ceiling.  “All of it.  It’s all my fault.”

“You know.”  Lance curled into Keith.  “When Rebecca died, a certain someone told me that it wasn’t my fault… even though I told them it was.”  Keith inhaled deeply, his eyes widened.  “I’ll say what he said to me.  Please don’t do this to yourself, it isn’t your fault.”

“Lance-”

“And he helped me get better, helped me cope with the loss.  Hopefully… I can do the same for him.”  Lance closed his eyes and fell asleep still curled against Keith.

Keith didn’t try holding back tears, he let them fall out as he held Lance close.  He hugged him, scared he was going to lose him.

* * *

Keith woke up to see he was still in the hospital.  He saw Shiro flipping through channels like it was a normal day.  Allura comes in with food and smiles.

“Good morning sunshine.”  She said.  That caused Shiro to look over and smile.

“Oh hey, didn’t see you wake up.”  He said.  Keith looks at the two then the clock, nine forty eight.  He looks back at them.

“How long have you two been here?”

“A good hour.  We came in decided to wait for you to wake up.”  Shiro said.  Allura hands Shiro food and points at Keith.

“When’s sleeping beauty gonna wake up?”  She asks.  Keith looks down, he completely forgot Lance was there, surprised he was still curled up asleep.  Keith had never held Lance before, he seemed so small and petite.  Keith smiles and shook Lance awake, the Cuban’s eyes flutter open and look around.

“Huh?”

“Wake up Lance.”

“Where am I?  I can’t see anything…”  Keith realized Lance didn’t have his glasses on.  They fell on the floor, not sure how that happened.

Keith tried reaching for them but Lance was still on him and his IV was still in his arm.  Shiro reached over and grabbed them.  He didn’t give them back right away, instead he tried them on and his eyes went wide.  Allura tried muffling her laughter.

“Oh my GOD!  Shiro your eyes are HUGE!”  She laughs.  Shiro stayed still.

“I can’t see shit…”

“Let me try them.”  Allura took them and tried them on.  Her already big eyes grew in size.  “Woah!  How bad are your eyes.”

“Let me see!”  Keith wanted to try.  Allura hands him the glasses and rubs her eyes.  Keith puts them on and looks around.  His big curious eyes now bigger.  Shiro had to take a picture.

“I didn’t think your eyes could get any bigger!”  He said.  Keith was still looking around, he looks at Lance who was giving him the most unamused face.  Though Keith couldn’t see it.  He smiles smugly.

“Wow, you look a lot better all of a sudden.”  He teased.

“Ha ha ha, gimme!”  He took his glasses back from Keith and puts them on.  “You guys suck.”  He pouts.

“Are you hungry Lance?  I can get you something.”

“Shouldn’t I get up?”

“Nah.  I’ll get you breakfast, you stay put.”  She winks at the two boys and leaves.  The three went back to watching the TV.

“By the way she took some pictures of you two asleep… it’s all over Facebook.”

“WHAT?!”  Keith was embarrassed.  “YOU DIDN’T STOP HER?!”  Shiro held up his own phone.

“Why stop when I can join in?”  He said with a shit eating grin.

“YOU FUCKING-!”  Shiro ran out laughing, Keith groans and lays back.  Lance didn’t move, he stayed close to Keith.  “Aren’t you going to get off?”

“Allura told me to stay put.”

“So you’ll listen?”

“I’m staying put.”  Lance nuzzles back into Keith.  “Besides… I’m content right here~”  Keith felt himself heat up in embarrassment, he held onto Lance and sighs.

“You’re weird.”

“Yeah, and so are you.”

“Am not.”

“Are too.”  Lance pokes Keith’s nose.  “You’re into weird things like bigfoot and mothman.”

“So what?”

“You little cryptid you~”  Lance kisses his forehead and went back to cuddling in his chest.  Keith tried to hide his embarrassment by flicking Lance’s head.  He yelps.  “What was that for?”

“You insult me.”

“Excuse me?”  The two look over at a nurse walking in.  “Your brother told me you were awake.  I’ve brought your food for you.  Your boyfriend will have to get up.”

“Aw… do I have to?”  Lance asks.  “I’m comfy.”

“Get off of me.”  Keith growls.  Lance giggles and got up quickly.  The nurse walks over and puts a tray on his bed.  Keith sat up and began to eat.

“Leave it out on the table outside when you’re done.”

“Can do.”  Lance said.  He watches Keith pick at some of the food.  “Not a fan?”

“I lived off of this for months, I’m use to it I guess… I just.”  Keith pauses to think.  “I just don’t like being here.”

“It’s okay, you’ll be out soon enough.”  The two were quiet again.  “So how do you feel?”

“Hm?”

“About me knowing all of that… are you okay?”  He asks.  Keith thought about it, he never considered telling someone it.  He never wanted to feel like a burden to someone, nor did he want people to pity him.

“It’s fine.  You wanted to know so I told you.”  Keith went back to eating.  Lance sighs and watches the TV, whatever was on it was boring.

Allura and Shiro walk up moments later and handed Lance a plate.  The four talked and ate like everything was back to normal.  Keith had to admit it was odd.  Everyone seemed content in their current situation, hell he felt content and he hates hospitals.

Everything seemed normal till two kids ran in.

“Princess!”

“Kei Kei!”  Sarah and Rico yell happily and jump on him on the bed.  He yelps in pain but began to laugh and hug them.

“Hey you two!”  He chuckles.

“Lookie who’s in the bed now.”  Sam wheels himself in with a smile, Isabella walks behind the chair.

“Yeah, at least I’m not in a wheelchair.”

“Touche.”  Sam said.  He looks at Allura and Shiro.  “Who are those two?”

“A paladin and a knight.”  Sarah said.  Shiro laughs and pumps his fist in the air as to say “victory”.  Keith glares at him.

“What is this, a fantasy family?”  Sam asks.

“It would seem so.”  Allura said in a bored tone.  Isabella laughs.

“Sam this is Keith’s family.  They came to visit you when you were hospitalized.”

“You guys had nothing better to do?”

“No, we love being here as you can clearly see.”  Shiro held up his prosthetic arm.  Sam chuckles and looks back at Keith.  Isabella smiles at the sight.

“Now look at us.  One big family together.”  She said.

“Have my family over, then it’ll be the whole family.”  Allura points out.  Shiro and Keith shook their heads.  “Oh come on you two, he isn’t that bad.”

“I’m fine with these two.”  Keith hugs the two kids tight.  They giggled and squirmed in his arms.

“Stop squirming you two.”  Isabella scolds.  They didn’t listen, they kept giggling and squirming.  Keith didn’t mind, he giggled along with them.  Lance looks at Sam, they both laughed at the sight.

“Oi.”  Lance starts.  “Sarah, Rico, don’t you see the IV?”

“What an IB?”

“I-V Rico.”  Sarah starts.  “It’s I-VVVV!”  Rico looks at her.

“Bvblblblblblbl….”  He tries and stutters.  Everyone else giggles.

“ _Oh, me doy por._ ”  Sarah threw her arms up, she gives up.  Lance pats Sarah’s head and gave her a smile.

“He’ll get it someday.”  He said.  Sarah pouts, Lance sat on the edge of the bed.  “ _Sarah, Rico es dos._ ”

“I two.”  Rico said happily, he looks at Keith.  “Kei Kei, I two.”

“You are?”  Keith asks trying to seemed shocked.

“Yeah!”  Everyone started to laugh again, Rico didn’t understand why everyone was laughing.  They were probably the loudest in the hospital floor, doctors and nurses kept looking over at the room.

Didn’t help that screaming came afterwards.  The whole group looks over in confusion, Pidge runs in and tackles the three down.  Keith grunts in discomfort while the two kids whine.

“Pidge?!  What are you doing here?!”  Lance asks.  Hunk walks in afterwards.

“Sorry, couldn’t stop her.”  Hunk said.  He was surprised to see so many people in the hospital room.  “Woah… Keith I didn’t know you knew this many people.”

“Oh this is-”  Keith tried speaking up.  Isabella walks over to him and shook his hand.

“ _Hola joven, mi nombre es Isabella. Estoy Lance de su madre._ ”  She said happily, Hunk gave a distressed look.  Lance tried pulling his mom away.

“Mamá, Hunk doesn’t know Spanish!”

“Oh I figured.”  She said with a smile.

“Then why-?”  Lance groans.  “ _¡Tienes problemas!_ ”  He said.  Isabella smacks his head.  “ _AH!  Por qué…_ ”  He whimpers.  Keith rolls his eyes at the scene.

“This is just a guess Hunk since I don’t know Spanish, but she introduced herself.”  He said.  Isabella points at Keith and nods.

“ _Sí, sí. Keith tiene razón._ ”  She said.  “I’m Isabella.”

“Yo.”  Pidge spoke up.

“Get off.”  He said in a bored tone.

“Make me.”  She stuck her tongue out.  Keith looks at the kids.

“She disrespects the princess, attack.”  He points at her.  The kids nod and pushed her off the bed.  She shrieks and glares at them.

“What the hell?!”

“Princess told us to attack.”  Sarah explained.  Rico went back to Keith and hugged him.  Pidge got up and groans.

“Back to introductions.”  She said looking away from her best friend.  “Name’s Katie, Katie Holt.  Though they called me Pidge.  That’s Hunk.”  Pidge said.

“Hunk Garrett.”  Hunk shook Isabella’s hand.

“What is a Pidge?”  She asks, looking at Pidge.

“Pigeon!”  Lance says as he hugs her from behind.

“PUT ME DOWN!”

“She’s our little Pidgey!”  Lance sings.

“I thought a “Pidgey” is a Pokemon…”  Isabella said.  The other two adults shrug.

“We don’t know.”  Shiro said.  Isabella nods and sat next to the two.  Lance puts Pidge down and looks around.

“Now… now everyone is together.”

“Yeah.”  Everyone said and or nods in unison.  Keith smiles, he felt better already though he knew he wasn’t going to leave anytime soon.  Still everyone was there, it made him happy.

* * *

Allura, Pidge, and Sarah were in the guest room playing the wii.  They had Wario Ware and were playing the multiplayer games.  Lance hung out with Sam and laughs at how the girls were bonding.

“Yes yes yes NO NO NO!”  Allura freaks out.

“Yeah!”  Sarah jumps in joy.  “I’m in the lead!”

“Not for long “Ginger”!”  Pidge said in a confident tone.

“You’re going down Pidgey!”  She sassed.  Lance laughs at them.  Sam moved a jenga block up.

“They’re getting along great.”  He said.

“Yeah.”  Lance nods and moves another block up.  “It’s nice.”

“Who knew having Keith hospitalized would bring everyone together.”

“Wished it was something else.”  Lance said.  “But after what happened last night, I’m glad.”  He smiled and pulled another block out, it tipped over.  “NO!”

“Ha ha ha-”  It landed on Sam.  “AH!”

“Ha ha ha ha ha!”

“You two shut it!”  Allura shouts.  “I only have one rope and I’m trying not to cut it!”

“I have one left!”  Pidge shouts.  Sarah giggles evilly.

“I have three!”  She cheers.  Allura cuts a rope, it hits Sarah.  “... Nevermind I’m gonna die.”  Everyone laughs at her.  In the end she still won.  

“You two got beaten by an eight year old.”  Lance laughs at them as they rebuilt the jenga tower.  Pidge glares at him.

“Shut up Lance.”

“ _¡Obligarme!_ ”  Lance said.  Pidge gave him a look.

“Allura and I have no clue what you’re saying.”

“He said “make me”.”  Sarah translates.  

“Oh I WILL make you!”  She points out.  Lance winks at her and went back to playing.  The two boys chuckle and went back to their game.

“She’s so cute.”  Sam whispers.

“She’s a pain.”

“Whatever bro.”  Sam pulled a block up and began to play.  Lance sighs and continued to play.

* * *

Keith watched everyone play outside.  Shiro and Allura was playing with Rico, Sarah was standing on the swings with Pidge.  Hunk was sitting on a bench hanging out with Lance.  He smiles at the sight, it seemed nice.

“Yo.”  Sam wheels up.  “Lookie you, walking around with an IV still in your arm.”

“Doctor said I can’t take it out.”  Keith said.  “At least I can walk.”

“I can walk you know.”  Sam sassed.  “Well I can’t at the moment, my legs gave out this morning.  Sarah cried her eyes out as she tried to help me up.  I told her I was fine…”

“Ah.”  Keith nods.  Sam watches the others with him.

“Someday she’s gonna be a good mom.”  Sam said.  Keith smiles, the thought of Sarah finding someone and having her own family.  Sure she’s only eight but someday she’ll be an adult.

“Yeah…”  He kept that smile.

“I think you’d make a good dad.”  Sam said.  Keith looks over in shock.

“Me?”  He asks, Sam smiles.  “I-I don’t think- I mean I never really thought about the future.”

“Ha ha ha!”  Sam laughs.  “So you don’t want kids?”

“Well um- I- I don’t know about that.”

“Lance always told me he wanted to be a dad.”  He said.  “So I guess you will be one someday.”  Sam teases.  Keith’s face looked like it was sunburned.  “You okay bro?”

“W-WHAT M-M-M-MAKES YOU THINK W-WE’D BE TOG-TOGETHER?!”

“B-B-Because you’re stu-stu-stuttering.”  Sam smirks.

“Shut up.”  Keith pouts.

“Aw it’s okay.  Okay what is Rico doing?”  He was chasing Allura around.  She was laughing and running away.  “I can’t believe Rico is actually talking to people more.”

“He was shy wasn’t he?”

“Yeah.”  He nods.  “Rico is the odd McClain… or Sanchez.  He never talked, never made friends, always sticked to himself.”  He looks at Keith.  “Remind you of someone?”

“You’re a dick, you know?”

“Oh I know.  Welcome to the rest of your life.”  He teased.

“Great, the rest of my life looks grim.”  Keith said.

“I’m the only one who’s evil, you got those three dorks down there.”  Sam points out.  Keith looks back down.

“... the rest of my life looks grim.”

* * *

A week after that Keith got to go home, he was practically running to the van.  Shiro laughs and rolls his eyes.

“Yes yes you’re going home.”

“I’M GOING HOME!”  He shouts.  Shiro looks at Allura.  She was upset.

“I still call bullshit that he had zero panic attacks since day one.”

“Maybe he’s getting better?”  Shiro shrugs.

“I say bullshit.”

“I think that everyone coming to see him made him better.”

“You think?”  She asks.  Shiro nods.

“Even if that’s not it.  I think he’s finally seeing that he’s more loved than he thinks.”  He said.  Keith hops into the car and smiles in the backseat.  Shiro and Allura laugh and walk to the car.


	36. Coran Coran

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad you guys enjoyed the last two chapters :) I was worried about the backstory chapter but apparently I caused a flood of tears thanks to that chapter. Enjoy this chapter.

Lance closes his locker the next day and felt something hit his back.

“Hello Pidgey.”

“Hi!”  She hops on his back like always.  Hunk walks in moments later with Keith next to him.

“Hey guys.”  Lance said.  “How is everyone?”

“Good.”  Hunk said.

“Great.”  Keith said.  “I’m going back to the cafe today.”

“Oh?”  Lance tilts a bit, Pidge moved with him.  “Can I come back and work?  I mean Allura is okay with me now, right?”

“Uh… yeah.  Yeah I guess she is.  We’re friends again…aren’t we?”

“Of course.”  Lance nods.  Pidge and Hunk smile.  Hunk pulls everyone in.

“Aw group hug!”  He shouts.  “We’re back together!  The group is back together again!”  He sounded way to pleased.  The others were being crushed in the hug, poor Lance was in the middle.

* * *

During lunch Pidge held up a bag of skittles.  She points at Lance, he looks over and quickly swallowed his sandwich.  He opens his mouth and catches the candy.  Hunk watches.

“Do you two have to do this?”

“Yes!  Celebrate all of us being together again!”

“Yay!”  Lance threw his arms in the air while catching another skittle.  Keith chuckles and went back to his food.

“Just let them have their fun.”  He said.  Pidge threw a skittle at Keith, he panics and picked up the skittle that landed on his leg.  He pouts.  “Aw, yellow…”

“Ha ha.”  Lance laughs at him.  Keith begrudgingly ate the skittle.

“So do you feel better Keith?”  Hunk asks.  Keith looks up.

“Um, why?”  He asks.

“You were in the hospital.”

“Oh yeah.  I feel better, much better.  Though this band-aid is starting to itch.”  He showed his friends the band-aid on his arm.  Hunk about threw up while Pidge looks at it.

“Take it off.”

“No.  I wait to take it off.”  Keith said.  “I don’t want people to see where my IV was.”

“Thank you.  Thank you for thinking of others.”  Hunk said.  Keith rolls his eyes and went back to eating.

* * *

In gym the whole class had to play matt-ball because Coach had no plan for the day.  Lance was all alone on the other team, Hunk, Pidge, and Keith gave him a wicked smile.  They were plotting against him.

“Going down McClain!”  Pidge shouts.

“No thank you.”  He whimpers.

“I think a little payback is in order~”  Keith sang.

“Payback?!”  Lance asks.

“For breaking your promise.”

“I-I thought we were friends again!”  He panics.  Keith walked away.  “Keef!  Keefer, I love you!  I’m sorry!”

“Oh I love you too, but you’re gonna get it.”  He smirked and walked away.  Hunk and Pidge point at Keith to signal whose side they were on.

“TRAITORS!”

“You broke our friend group.”  Pidge points out.

“I know we’re best friends bro, but they’re right.”  Hunk follows.  Lance worried about this one match.

* * *

Lance pouts in the nurse’s office with a bruise on his face, his friends stood in the room with him.  He refused to look at them.

“Sorry Lance.”  Hunk said.  He slowly looks at Hunk, he didn’t say a word.

“I think the person who should be sorry is Keith, he was the one who hit his face with the ball.”  Pidge points out.  Keith was trying hard not to giggle.  “Say sorry Keith.”

“I’m sorry…”  He giggled out.  Lance looks away again.

“Say it without laughing at him Kogane.”  Pidge said.  Keith broke out laughing.

“I-I am soooo sorry Lance!”  He said through laughter.  Lance grabbed Keith’s hood on his hoodie and pulled it over his head, that didn’t stop Keith from laughing.

“Keith… I don’t think he accepts.”  Hunk said.  Keith got Lance off and kept laughing.  The nurse comes in and puts an ice pack on Lance’s face.

“There you go sweetie.”  Lance held onto it and pouts.  “You three go back to class.”

“Kay.”  Pidge walks out.  Hunk pats Lance’s head and walks out.

“Hope you feel better before work.”  Keith teases.  “See ya _Lancey_ ~”

“GET OUT OF HERE!”  Lance shouts in embarrassment, Keith runs out laughing.  Lance kept pouting while holding the ice pack on his swollen cheek.  He wasn’t amused.

* * *

“Nice bruise.”  Sam teases.  Lance threw the melted ice pack at him.  Isabella looks at the bruise and worried.

“How did you get that?”

“Keith.”

“Oh okay.”  She walks away.  Lance kicked at a car on the ground that Rico was playing with, Rico gave him a look that said ‘what did I do?’.  

“I didn gib you buise.”  Rico pouts.

“Whatever.”  Lance said.  The boys sat in the living room in quiet.

“Laaaance?”  Sarah calls from upstairs.

“What sweetie?”

“Can you help with my hair?”

“Your hair?”  He asks.  Isabella smiles at Lance and points upstairs.

“Go upstairs and help her, I think you’ll be surprised.”  She said.  Lance walks upstairs and sees Sarah holding a pink hair tie.  She was in a dance outfit and was trying to put her hair in a bun.  Lance about screamed in joy.

“Sarah?!  You’re going back to dance?!”  He asks.  She nods happily, he squeals.  “Oh my GOD!  I’m so happy!”

“I’m gonna be a great dancer like you!”  She said.  Lance nods and helps her with her hair.  He put her hair in a tight bun and she ran downstairs, he follows.

“Mamá you didn’t tell me Sarah was going to be in dance!”  He says.  Isabella nods.

“Yeah her teacher wanted her to be in dance.  Don’t know why.”

“I have to go with her.”  Sam said.  It’s in that community center near our house.

“Oh, the one that Pidge’s mom owns.”  Lance said.  “I’ll have to go with you someday.”  He says to Sarah.

“No Lance, it’s a class for girls.”

“Oh, that’s discrimination!”

“No it’s not.  It says girls only, boys have a different class.”  She giggles.  Sam got up from his chair and walks down the stairs on the house slowly, Sarah pushes the wheelchair out.  As soon as the two got down, Sarah and Sam waved and she pushed her brother to the community center.

Isabella waves and leaves to go to work.  Lance slowly looks at Rico.

“Guess you’re going to work with me.”

“Work?”

“Yeah, I work at the cafe with Allura and Keith.”  He said.  Rico’s eyes lit up.

“I goin to work?”

“I can’t leave you home alone.”

“I go to work!”  Rico runs out.  “I clean all da tables.”  Lance looks at his brother in confusion.

“... … What?”

* * *

Lance walks in holding Rico’s hand.  Allura waves at Lance with a warm smile.

“Welcome back Lance, and I see Rico’s back.”  She said.  Rico waves at Allura.

“Hi Lula!”  He said.  Lance chuckles at the nickname.  Keith hands Allura some drinks, Rico smiles and runs into the kitchen.  “Kei Kei!”

“Huh?”  He looks over.  “Hi Rico!”  He held his arms out, Rico runs into Keith’s arms and smiles.  Lance walks in and threw his coat off.

“Sorry I had to bring him today.  Sam took Sarah to dance and Mamá had work.”  He said.  Keith spun Rico around, both laughing playfully.

“It’s okay~  Rico can help out today right?  Rico’s the best helper in the world~”  Keith said in a baby voice.  Rico nods happily.

“I clean all da tables!”  He says, Keith puts him down and watches Rico run out.  Allura hands Rico a rag, the toddler runs around and cleans tables.  Lance looks at Keith confused.

“Allura made Rico help out when she had to watch him one day.”  Keith said.  Lance nods and just went to work.  Which at the moment was wait for someone to come in so they could make something.

“Soooo hows life?”  Lance asks.  Keith looks up at him with a bored face.

“Better now that I’m out of that hospital.”  He said.  “So Sarah is in dance?”

“She was in dance, then that cruel bastard kept her from going.  He wouldn’t let me dance anymore…”

“Then so swam?”

“Oh I was in swim and also dance.  Busy schedule, but I was happy doing both.”  Lance said.  “And hey, I can still shake it.”  He moved a bit and posed.  Keith rolls his eyes and messed with the coffee supplies.

“You think you’re a sexy dancer huh…”

“Baby I know I am~”

“Call me baby again and I will slit your throat.”  Keith held up his pocket knife.  Lance backs up in fear.

“Okay, your Eomma was crazy to give you a knife.”  Lance points out, that got Keith to chuckle.

“She was a smart woman in my eyes.”  Keith comments.  Lance shook his head, no way is that smart.  Giving a violent kid a weapon is the worst idea in the world.  Even if they are the cutest little things, they shouldn’t have weapons.

An hour passes and the group stayed fairly busy.  They’d get the random business person, or the chatty group of teenage girls, or the group of girls with some overly gay guy with them.

Lance would always smirk and point them out to Keith.

“Why can’t you act like that?”  He asks in a teasing manner.

“I refuse to walk around like a faggot.”  Keith hisses.

“But you are a faggot…”

“I’m gay, not a faggot!”

“What’s the difference?”  Lance asks.  Keith groans and stares at Lance.

“A gay guy like myself is just that, a guy who is into men.  A faggot is someone who flaunts around showing off their “gayness” to the world by wearing rainbows and shit.  Saying “lookie how gay I am” and then it makes everyone uncomfortable.”  He explained.

Lance raised an eyebrow.

“Okay?  You know stereotypes exist for a reason… that’s how everyone thinks a gay guy acts, don’t get mad at me.”

“Do you wanna know how I think bisexuals act?”  Keith asks.  “Someone who can’t figure out what they’re into.  They’ll fuck anything that moves, practically a slut.”  He hissed, Lance looked hurt.

“That’s not true…”  He says in a quiet voice.

“See?  Not fun being stereotyped.”  Keith said.  Lance nods and kept cleaning the counter.  The two stayed painfully quiet.

“I’m sorry…”  Lance sounded so upset.  Keith looks at him.

“No, you’re fine.  I overreacted.”  Keith said.  “You know I don’t see you as a … a slut.”  That got Lance to smile, it was a small one but it was sweet nonetheless.  Keith could feel his heart melt.

The moment stopped when the door slams open.  Lance jumps and hugs Keith in fear.  A jolly voice comes from the front.

“Hello hello~”  He shouts.  Allura smiles.

“Coran!”  She runs up and hugs the man.  “What are you doing here?”

“Alfor wanted me to come check on you here.”  He said.  “Your father is worried about your business.”

“Well I’m glad you’re both concerned.  But everything is fine.”  She said looking behind her happily.  Coran looks over at Rico who was cleaning the tables still.  He runs up to the toddler scaring the poor child to death.

“Who are you?!”

“WAH!”  Rico hops off the table.  “Lances!  Kei Kei!”  He runs into the kitchen and hugs his brother’s leg.  Lance pats Rico’s head and walks out to see who was yelling at his brother.  Keith walks out with him and saw Coran.  Keith waved.

“Hello my boy!”  Coran says.  “Now… WHO ARE YOU?!”

“WAH!”  Lance hugs Keith again.  Allura blocks Coran and panics.

“Ah Coran!  T-This is Lance!  He works here!”

“Works?!”  Coran sounded surprised.  Lance nods slightly.  “He’s not family!”

“What?”  Allura was confused.

“Your father said he only wanted family to work with you!  Don’t you remember that?!”  Coran asks her.  Allura gave him a look then she groans.

“Oh yeah…”  She said.  “B-But Lance is such a great worker!  And he hasn’t tried stealing anything of mine and he’s dedicated to help out!”

“Alfor doesn’t want you to make the same mistake!  He will not be working here any longer!”

“Huh?!”  Lance and Keith shout in unison.  Rico peaks out from the kitchen door and quickly goes back into hiding as soon as Coran looks at him.

“You heard me!  Not family, not an employee.”  He snaps.  “I was worried about Keith working here, but since he’s going to be your brother in law Alfor accepted it.  This man is nothing to you!”

“Ow…”  Lance said.  Shiro walks in with bags from the store.

“What is going on?”  He asks.  Coran looks over at Shiro.

“Oh hello Shiro, I was just telling Allura that she cannot have this “Lance” working here anymore.”  Coran said.  “He is not family.”

“You mean Keith’s boyfriend?”  Shiro asks in a calm voice.  Coran looks over in shock, the other two were shocked as well.  Allura and Keith both caught on, Lance was just confused.

“Oh, oh yeah!”  Keith nods.  “Lance is my boyfriend.”  Keith hugs Lance closer.

“I am?”

“Yes.”  Keith gives him a smile.  “You are.”  Everyone stares at Coran, hoping he’d buy it.  He gave the two a long hard look.

“Well why didn’t you say so?”  Coran asks nicely.  “In that case it’s nice to meet you Lance.”  He said with a warm smile.  Lance shakes his hand.

“Y-Yeah it’s nice to meet you too.”  Lance nods.  Keith got in the way.

“Also Rico is Lance’s little brother.  Lance didn’t have a babysitter for him so that’s why he’s here.”  Keith points out.

“Oh, well then no harm there.”  Coran said.  “It seems you have only high schoolers working with you.”

“Yes.  It’s quite the hassle during the day.”  Allura said.

“Well no more!”  Coran said.  “Starting tomorrow I shall work here as well.”

“WHAT?!”  Allura asks.

“That is the main reason why I came here.  I am now a day time employee.”

“Uh Coran?”  Keith starts.  “You’ll need a home.”

“Already done, I bought an apartment downtown thanks to your father.”  He said.  “I bought it about a week ago.  All moved in and ready to help out.”  He said in a positive voice.  “I’ll come back tomorrow morning.  Goodnight everyone~”  He practically dances out.

As soon as he was out the group sighs.  Rico finally runs out and went back to cleaning tables.  Shiro watched Rico while the others talked.

“I am so sorry Lance.”  Allura apologized.  “My father had lost a lot of business ideas because of close friends.”  She said.

“It’s fine, suspicions over.”  Lance said.  “At least I can still work here.”

“Yes.”  Allura nods.  “Thanks for jumping in love.”  She said to Shiro.

“Huh?”  He looks back at the group.  “Oh yeah no problem.”  He said.

“Now every time Coran comes over you two will have to act like you’re dating.  Is that okay?”

“Okay.”  The two nod, then it hits them.  “Wait… WHAT?!”  Both asked in unison.  Allura and Shiro laugh.

“It was the only way to keep Lance here.  We couldn’t say Allura see’s him as a brother, or that he’s some distant cousin.”  Shiro points out.  “So you two will have to act all lovey dovey to trick him.”

“SHIRO!”  Keith lets go of Lance and chases his brother out.  Shiro was laughing as he ran from a very angry Keith.  Lance was beat red, he took Rico’s hand and walked out.

“See you tomorrow Allura.”

“Bye sweetie.”  She said happily.


	37. Rather Bold

The next school day Lance stares outside and smiles at the spring weather.  Hunk runs in with Keith next to him and smiles.

“I CAN FINALLY RIDE MY BIKE!”  He cheers.

“Good for you.”  Lance said.  Keith looks at Lance’s routine.

“Why do you do the same thing everyday?”

“Because if I do one thing off then my day is off.”  Lance said.  Keith looks at the books, he rearranged everything.  Lance screams.  “NOOOOOOO!”  Keith shuts the locker.

He gave him a wicked smile.

“I thought you loved me.”  Lance whimpers.

“The reason Keith did that was because he loves you.”

“Yeah.”  Keith agrees with Hunk.  Lance gave a sad look.  Keith kept his smirk and walks away.  Lance looks up at Hunk with puppy eyes.

“I’ve made friends with a bully.”

“You did… Keith is a bully.  He was and still is the most feared kid in school.”  Hunk points out.

“What is wrong with me?”  Lance asks.

“I ask that same question everyday.”  Hunk said in a bored tone.

* * *

Lance’s day was all off, he wasn’t focused and he was late to literacy.  Keith gave him a look when he ran in.

“Sorry sorry sorry!”  He said in a squeaky voice and sat next to Keith.  He looks at the stressed out boy.

“What is up with you?”  Keith asks.  “You’re never late.”

“Oh I don’t know… maybe someone came in and ruined my routine.”  Lance hissed, Keith gave him a confused look.

“It seriously messes you up that badly?”  He asks.  Lance nods and sets his head down.  “I call bullshit.  There is no way you’d be this unorganized.”

“You don’t understand.”  Lance starts.  “It’s my ADHD.  I need to keep things in order or I’ll become unorganized.  I can’t handle my things being rearranged.”  Lance went back to hiding his face.  Keith rubs his head.

“I’m sorry.”

“I doubt it.”

“Look I didn’t know, okay?  I don’t know much about mental illnesses.”

“Clearly.”  Lance said.  “It’s not an important thing everyone has to know, it’s kind of common to have a mental illness now.”  He looks up at Keith.  “Just don’t mess with my stuff.”

“What if I really want to?”  Keith asks in a playful voice.

“No!”

“But I thought it was funny!  You were panicking and it was cute.”  Keith teases.

“No it wasn’t!  That was me seriously crying!”

“And it was adorable!”  Keith continues.

“Can you save this attitude for work?”  Lance asks.  “Can’t believe we have to fake date for that weird guy.”  Lance complains.

“Blame Allura, she forgot the rule Alfor made.”  Keith said.  “We’ll be fine if he isn’t in the kitchen.”

“Hopefully he’s in the lobby.”

“Yeah… hopefully.”  Keith thought a bit.  “How do you act “lovey dovey”?”

“Hm?”

“We tease each other, but that’s playful and friendly… like what friends do.  How do we act like we’re in love?”

“Easy we just… I mean… uh…”  Silence.  “Shit.”

* * *

“What’s acting “lovey dovey” look like?”  Lance asks his friends at lunch.  Hunk and Pidge both stopped what they were doing and stares at him.

“May I ask why you are asking such an odd question?”  Pidge asks raising an eyebrow.

“Uh… just curious…”

“Just answer it.”  Keith said.

“You answer it.”  Pidge points at Keith.

“I don’t even know how to be social, what makes you think I know anything about being all “lovey dovey”?”  Keith points out.

“Well…”  Hunk starts.  “You mean cheesy or just normal where people don’t barf.”

“Anything.”  Lance says.  Hunk thought, he finally put down his food and spoke.

“Normal is little pecks on the cheek, winking at them-”

“Sneaking away to make out somewhere.”  Pidge adds on.

“OKAY OKAY HOW ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE!”  Lance shouts in embarrassment.  Keith had to hide his face.

“Alright?  So cheesy is calling out nicknames, hugging in the open, being very showy-”

“Making others around you sick to their stomachs.”  Pidge adds on again.  Lance nods understanding everything.

“Okay, I got it.  Thanks you two.”  He said.

“Now answer my question.”  Pidge said.

“What question?”  Lance asks.

“Lance I want to know why you asked that.”

“Um… I want to show a girl I like them?”  Lance answered.

“Mm hm… I’m calling bullshit but whatever.”  Pidge went back to doing whatever she was doing before.

* * *

Keith drove Lance and Sam home after school, he told Lance that if they wanted to act like they were together then they should go in together.  Lance agreed to the idea.

Sarah walks down with a hair tie and a sad look.

“Lance!”

“What?”  Lance was helping Sam in.

“Can you do my hair again?”

“Not at this minute sweetie.”  He said.

“B-But I can’t do it.”  She cries.  Keith looks at her.

“You need your hair up Sarah?”  He asks.  She nods sadly.  “Alright come here.”  He took the hair tie and put her hair in a bun, it looked neater than Lance’s.  “There you go, now stop your crying.”  He said in a playful voice.

Sarah looks at the bun and smiles.

“Thank you Princess!”  She hugs him.

“It was nothing.”  He said happily.  Lance finally got Sam to sit, after that he sighs in relief and fell back on the floor.  Keith and Sarah stared at him.

“Anyways… guess what Princess!”

“What?”  He asks.

“I’m in dance!”  She does an over the top pose.  Keith gasps.

“You are?”  He knew already but he knew Sarah wanted to surprise him.  She nods happily.

“Yeah!  We’re going to have a recital soon, wanna come watch me?”  She asks, Keith picks her up and hugs her.

“Of course.”  He said and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  “You’ll have to tell me when it is.”

“Okay!”  She giggles and runs towards Sam.  “You almost ready to go?”

“I just sat down sweetie.”  Sam sighs.  “Let my heart rate go down a bit.”

“Okay.”  She said.  Rico looks at his siblings.

“I clean tables?”  Rico asks.  Lance looks at Rico then at Sam.

“Sam?”

“Hm…”

“You wanna take Rico with you?  I know there’s things at the activity center for him.”  Lance said.  Sam gave him a look.

“Really Lance?”

“I have work.”  Lance said.  “I can’t keep bringing him.”

“Yes you can.”  Keith spoke up.

“No I can’t.”

“He cleans the tables.”

“I clean all da tables.”  Rico said happily.

“I can’t bring my baby brother in for child labor.  We’ll get in trouble.”  Lance said.  “Sam can take him.”

“Aw.”  Both Keith and Rico were disappointed.  Lance rolled his eyes.

“You ready to go Sarah?”

“Yeah!”

“Okay, up you go Sam.”  He picks Sam up, his poor brother groans in discomfort.  Keith helped Sarah push the chair out of the house and down the stairs.  Lance carries Sam to his chair and lets him sit down, Sam began to breath heavily.  “Hey hey hey, breath Sam.  Just breath.”

Sam took a deep breath, his heartbeat was slowing down.  Lance kept soothing Sam till his heart was down at a safe rate.  Sam finally breaths and looks at Lance.

“I’m good.  I’m good.”  He says.  “Rico come here.”  Rico runs up to his brother and hops in his lap.  Sarah grabs the handles and gave a determined smile.

“Alright!  ONWARD!”  She grunts and pushed him the best she could… it wasn’t as fast as she wanted it to go but Sam was weak and Rico was on the chair as well.  Lance and Keith watched with bored looks.

“It’s good for your legs.”  Lance points out.  She ignored him and kept pushing.  They watched for a few minutes.

* * *

The two walked in and saw Coran in the kitchen, the two groan.  They walked towards Allura who was reading.

“Hi Allura.”  Lance said.

“Hello boys.”  She smiles.  “You ready to work with Coran, I must say he’s a hard worker.”  Allura said.  Keith and Lance look at each other.

“You know…”  Lance starts.  “You only need two people to work kitchen so can I serve and work in lobby?”  Lance asks.

“Sure, that’ll help.”  Allura nods.  Keith gave Lance a look of betrayal.  He pulls on Lance’s arm and got him close.  Lance panics.

“W-W-What are you doi-”

“I swear if I catch you flirting with ANYONE I will-”

“I-I won’t!”  Lance said trying to get Keith off his back.

“Really?”  Keith wasn’t buying it.  “Everytime you help with lobby you flirt with someone.  I swear at least a dozen girls have given you their numbers.”

“You’ve kept count?”  Lance asks.  Keith groans.

“Look, no flirting.  Got it?”

“Can I flirt with you?”  Lance teases, Keith was not amused.

“I don’t care!  Just- don’t flirt with any girls!”

“Okay _ Cariño. _ ”  Lance kisses his head and walks towards the closet.  Keith growls and held his head.  He looked like an angry tomato.

He walks into the kitchen to see Coran cleaning all the dishes.  He sees Keith and smiles.

“Hello my good boy!  How are you?”

“Good.  You?”

“I’m fantastic!  This job is much easier on the bones, so calm.”

“Have you hit a rush hour?”

“Uh… maybe?”

“I once had to make about forty drinks and pull out at least four dozen pastries in two hours time.”  Keith said while he started to clean the counter.  Coran froze at what Keith said.

“This place can get that busy?”

“Yeah.  It’s usually quiet though.”  Keith said.  Coran watches Lance run around and talk to people in the lobby, he was laughing and joking with a group of girls.

“Your boyfriend is pretty popular amongst the ladies.”

“Hm?”  Keith looks out.  “I guess.  I mean Lance is very attractive.”  Keith admits, he thought it was okay to say that to Coran since he thought they were dating.  “Lance is a social butterfly who knows what to say.  The exact opposite of me.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I’m very awkward… had no clue what he saw in me.”  Keith started putting dishes away.  Coran smiles.

“You know the old saying, opposites attract.”  Coran said.  “Though those girls are getting awfully close, maybe you should go out there.”

“It’s fine.”

“Nonsense.”  Coran pushed him out.  “That’s your boyfriend, go get him.”

“WAH!”  He pushed Keith out, damn that man was strong.  Keith looks at Allura, he whispers in her ear.  “I’m going to kill Shiro for this “bright idea” of his...”  He growls.  Allura giggles.

“Coran has always been one to worry about others relationships.  He and his wife were the cheesiest couple I’ve ever met.”

“Worse than you and Shiro?”  Keith gasps, she smacks his head.  Keith giggles.

“Just go to Lance and make Coran happy.”  She said.  Keith groans and walks over to Lance.  He pokes his shoulder, Lance looks over.

“Hey buddy.”

“Hi, Coran was worried about you.”

“Me?”  Lance asks.  “Why?”

“Just because… he told me to come talk to you.”

“Oh, okay.”  Lance smiles, the girls stare at Keith in fear.  They must’ve gone to the same school because strangers never stare at him like that.

“Y-You know Keith?”  One girl asks, Lance nods.

“Uh huh, Keith is-”  Lance stopped, he held Keith close.  “My boyfriend.”  He said with confidence, though inside he was screaming in embarrassment.  Keith couldn’t hide it, his eyes were wide and face red.

The girls were also shocked, then they awed.

“Awwww Keith!  I didn’t know you were into that!”  They cooed.  Keith looks down.

“Uh… y-yeah.”  He said in a quiet tone.  Lance hugs him tighter.

“No need to be shy  _ Cariño _ .”  He said.  The group of girls started asking Lance and Keith way too many questions.  Keith started feeling uncomfortable, he pulled out of Lance’s grasp.  Lance looks at him.

“You okay Keith?”

“I’ve got to go back to work.”  He said.

“Okay.”  Lance pulls Keith in and kissed him.  “Love you.”  He said happily.  Keith hid his face and walked back to the kitchen, the girls giggled at Keith’s shy behavior.   Coran saw Keith come in looking embarrassed.

“You feeling well?”

“Yes… don’t make me go out there again.”  He whines.  Coran was a little confused but brushed it off as Keith being weird.  Another hour or so passes and Lance ran in.

“Hey you two.”  He said happily.  “Can I take him for a moment?”  Lance grabs Keith’s arm.  Coran nods and went back to cleaning and organizing.  Lance smiles and runs out with Keith, they hid from Coran and Allura making sure they were out of everyone’s sight.

Lance puts his hands together and bows his head.

“I am so so so so so so sorry I made you uncomfortable!”  Lance whines, Keith gave him the look.  He folds his arms across his chest and stares him down.

“What was that?”

“I said I’m sorry!”  Lance repeats himself.  Keith looks away.

“Oh and I should forgive you?”  He asks.  Lance grabs Keith’s arms.

“I’m really sorry but Coran thinks we’re dating and I was just playing along!  I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable with-”

“I never said I wouldn’t forgive you.”  Keith interrupts him.  Lance sighs in relief.

“Oh thank God.”

“Beg.”

“WHAT?!”  That caught Lance off guard.  Keith points at the ground.

“You heard me, get on your knees and beg for forgiveness.”

“If this is some kind of kinky fetish then I’m not doi-”

“I guess you don’t want me to forgive you.”  Keith looks away with a playful smile.  Lance whimpers but went on his knees.  “I said beg.”

“Oh my God Keith….”  Lance felt weak, he bows his head.  “I’m sorry!  Please forgive me!”

“What was that?”  Keith asks.  “I couldn’t hear you~”  Lance was annoyed with him already.

“I’m so sorry Keith, forgive me.”

“Louder please.”

“Forgive me Keith!”  Lance begs.  That got Keith to smile, a wicked one.

“If you insist, I guess I will.”  Keith said happily.  Lance stood up.  “Who said you could get back up.”

“I thought if you forgave me then I could stand.”  Lance hissed.  Keith pushed him back down.

“Nope.  You can stay here with me for a moment, can’t you?”

“You okay?”  Lance was nervous.  “You don’t seem well.”

“I’m fine.”  He smirks.  “If you can embarrass me than I feel like I have the right to embarrass you.”

“I AM SORRY!”

“Too late.  I’m tired of your begging.”  Keith said, he got to Lance’s level.  The poor Cuban looked for a way out.  Well if he wanted to make a scene he could run out, but he didn’t want to make Coran suspicious.  This wasn’t going well…

“W-What are you gonna do?”  Lance asks.  Keith chuckles, he didn’t answer.  He forced Lance close and kissed him.

It wasn’t like every other time.  This time it was way more heated and passionate.  Lance couldn’t fight Keith off, more like he didn’t want to.  It wasn’t out in the open where people could see and Lance knew Keith wouldn’t ever do this in front of others, but something told Lance that as soon as this was over he’d look like a mess and people would have some sick idea of what happened to him.  He was around the customer's, Keith was in the kitchen where nobody would see him.

Dirty rat, he’s smarter than he looks.

“WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING?!”  Allura shouts, scaring the two boys.  They both jump, Keith latched onto Lance in fear.  Allura groans.  “What the hell you two?  Act like this in front of the man who thinks you’re dating!”

“W-We are acting in front of him.”  Lance said.  Allura raises an eyebrow.

“So I can assume Coran can see you two making out behind the wall here?”  The two were silent for what felt like hours.

“Yes.”  They both said.  Allura grabs them by their ears.

“No you’re just horny.”  She hissed.  “Go back to work.”

“B-But I look like shit!”  Lance whines.  Keith snickers at Lance, though Allura’s death pinch stopped his laughter immediately.

“Not my problem.”  She drops them.  “I cannot believe you two.”  She walks back to the register.  Keith snuck back into the kitchen without anyone seeing him.  Lance whimpers and walked back out.  People stared and wondered what the fuck had happened to him.

The rest of the night the two stayed away far from each other.

* * *

Lance glares at Keith on the ride home.  Keith smirk never left his face.  Lance refused to speak to him.

“You okay?”  Keith asks.  Lance folds his arms across his chest and looks away from him.  That made Keith chuckle.  “Hey fair’s fair.  You embarrassed me so I embarrassed you, we’re even.”

“I said you were my boyfriend and called you  _ Cariño.   _ You made me look like a dirty  _ la puta! _ ”  Lance hissed.  Keith rolled his eyes.

“Whatever Lance.”

“ _ Me sentí como un perro… _ ”  Lance mutters.  Keith sighs and drops him off.  “See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, see ya.”  They wave each other off.  Lance walks in and lays flat on the couch.  He grabs a pillow that was laying on the couch and screams into it, just thanking God he was alone at the moment.

* * *

Keith walks into the apartment to see a Shiro with a shit eating grin.

“So how are you?”

“Fuck off Shiro.”

“How rude.”

“I know Allura told you.”

“She told me you two were about to get frisky.”

“Oh my God!”  Keith shouts from his room.  Shiro laughs.

“Wanted to get it on in the cafe huh?  That’s rather bold Keith.”

“STOOOOOOOP!”  He whines.  “WE WERE JUST MAKING OUT OKAY?!”

“Who started it?”  No answer.  “OH MY GOD KEITH!”  That made Shiro bust a gut.  Keith slams his door shut.  He didn’t want to talk to his brother anymore.  Shiro didn’t stop laughing, he wasn’t going to let this go anytime soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha ha ha~ I'm horrible.


	38. Hello Blue Eyes~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank MariWrites for this idea. Lotor gets to meet Lance in person. XD

Lance pushed Sam into the building, he woke up real weak but wanted to go to school still.  Lance finally got him in and crouched in front of him.

“You okay?”  Lance asked.  Sam looks at him, he just stared.  Lance felt heartbroken to see Sam like this.  “ _ Está bien, Samuel.  Todo va a estar bien. _ ”  That got Sam to smile, a small one but still a smile.

“ _ Gracias. _ ”  Sam said in a weak voice.  Lance kept a strong face, he got up and pushed Sam towards the nurses office.  He explained what was going on and the nurse told Lance someone would escort Sam that day.  Feeling relieved, he left his brother and went towards his locker.

Lance saw Keith walk up to him, he wasn’t with Hunk which was awkward.  However Lance ignored Keith, he still wasn’t too happy with the “begging” thing.  Keith caught on and spoke up.

“You’re not still mad about that, right?”  Keith asks.  Nothing.  “Lance, come on!”  Still nothing.  “I’m sorry!  I overreacted and I realize that, please talk to me!”  Still nothing.  “I won’t kiss you anymore, I promise!”

“ _ Tienes una mente sucia _ .”  Lance hissed.  Keith had no clue what the hell Lance said but due to the tone he could tell Lance wasn’t happy still.

“I’m sorry!  _  ¡Perdón!  ¡Perdón! _ ”  He whines and clung to him.  Lance pushed him off.

“Saying sorry in my native tongue isn’t going to make me forgive you faster.”  Lance points out.  Keith hugs him again.

“I’m trying here!”

“Get off.  You pissed me off, this is your punishment.”

“Come on Lance!  I said sorry in two different languages, what more do you want?”  Keith asks.  Lance glares at him.

“Beg.”

“Wha-”

“Ya heard me.   _ Mendigar como un perro. _ ”  He hissed.  Keith immediately went on the ground.  Lance was actually surprised Keith went down that easily.

“Please forgive me…”  Keith said with big eyes.  The difference with Keith and Lance is that Keith had puppy eyes making him look sad and pathetic, Lance gave in easier than Keith did.

“Okay okay I forgive you!  Enough with that face!”  Lance whines.  Keith got up with a smirk on his face, he got him.  “That is unfair you little shit.”

“Oh it’s fair.”  Keith said.  He looks over Lance’s shoulder and sees Pidge zooming in like Sonic.  He didn’t tell Lance, he’d rather watch him topple over.  Pidge came in and Lance surprisingly held his ground, he still yelped in surprise.

“WHAT THE HELL PIDGE?!”  He shouts.  Keith chuckles as they wrestle a bit.  Hunk runs up, he was trying to regain his breath.  Pidge spoke.

“WHEN DID YOU TWO START DATING?!”  She asks, well shouts.

“What?”  Both of them asked in unison.

“YA HEARD ME!”  She kept shouting.  Hunk finally regained his breath.

“Okay… Hunk’s back… b-but seriously guys we’re best friends and you two start dating without telling us?  Not cool.”

“Yeah!”  Pidge agrees.  Lance and Keith look at each other then both realized it.

“Aaaaah.  I get it.”  Keith said.

“Yeah, get off and we’ll explain.”

“Explain?”  Pidge asks.  She hops off Lance and stood next to Hunk.

“So Allura had some close family friend come over to start working there.”  Keith said.  “Her father didn’t want her to work with friends, only family.”

“Yeah.”  Lance starts.  “So to keep my job I guess… Shiro told this “Coran” guy that I was dating Keith.”

“So you two are faking?”  Hunk asks.

“Pretty much.”  Keith nods.  Pidge groans.  “What’s up Pidge?”

“I fucking hate you both.  I hate you both so much.”  She said in her hands.  “Why can’t you two just fuck already?”  She asks.  Both boys turned red and stared her down.

“W-W-WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT?!”

“NEVER EVER EVER GOING TO HAPPEN!  I-IT’LL NEVER HAPPEN, YOU GOT IT?!”

“THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU DON’T SAY OUT LOUD!”

“Y-YOU NEED TO REMEMBER THAT WE’RE NOT INTO EACH OTHER LIKE THAT!”

“I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU WOULD SUGGEST SOMETHING LIKE THAT!”  They were both nervously talking at the same time.  Pidge gave them her usual ‘are you fucking serious right now?’ face as they tried to form complete sentences.  She had enough and walked to class without saying another word.  Hunk just waited for the two to calm down.

* * *

Lance was stacking little folded papers on his desk trying his hardest to ignore Pidge, who was currently glaring holes in the back of his head.

Mrs. Page knocks his tower over.

“Wah!”  Lance whines.

“I expect you to pay attention.  Now everyone-”  She continued.  Lance picks up all his folded pieces of paper and sighs.  He wanted class to end so Pidge can stop glaring at him.

* * *

“Can you please stop?!”  Lance asks in second hour.  She didn’t stop glaring.  “Bug someone else please!”  She took her phone out.  Mere minutes later Lance got a text from Keith.  It read ‘shes in your class shes your problem.’.  Lance looks at Pidge.

“I didn’t mean go bug Keith.”

“Who am I supposed to bug?”  She asks.

“No one.”  Lance says.  “Just drop it okay?  It’s not a big deal.”

“It is!  You know what?  Screw Keith’s little promise!”

“What?”  Lance was now very confused.

“Keith has had a huge crush on you for months now.  MONTHS!”

“Huh?”

“Ever since like… November!  KEITH HAS BEEN PINING AFTER YOU SINCE NOVEMBER!”  She shouts.  The whole class looks at the two, Lance saw everyone staring at him.  He felt embarrassed.

“Uh… Pidge?  Can you please tone it down?”  He asks, he didn’t want the whole class knowing.  Pidge got up on her desk.

“LISTEN WELL MY PEERS!  I, KATIE HOLT, HAVE NEWS!”  She shouts, the whole class looks at her.  “THE MAN KEITH KOGANE, THE ONE YOU ALL FEAR! …  you all know and fear him, right?”  Everyone nods.  “Good… now then.  KEITH KOGANE HAS A CRUSH ON THIS BOY!  LANCE MCCLAIN!”

Lance looked so embarrassed.

“Please stop.”  He whispers.  “This is embarrassing.”

“AND LANCE IS IN LOVE WITH HIM!”  She shouts.  Lance whines and hid in his hood, people clap for him.

“Stahp, please!”  He cries.  Pidge joins them in their clapping.  “Pidge why?”  She stops and looks at him.

“So are you gonna confess to him or what?”

“NO!”  
“Confess.  Confess.  Confess.”  Everyone, even the teacher, chants along.  Lance grabs his stuff and ran out.  His face was practically burning.

* * *

Lance reached his literacy class and Keith immediately pushed him out.  He was hot, ready to burst in anger and embarrassment.

“What is this all about?!”  He asks holding up some random kids phone.

“Can I have that ba-”

“In a minute!”  He growls at the kid he stole the phone from.  Poor kid backs away.  Lance looks down.

“Um… Pidge told the whole class you liked me… and so… yeah.”  Lance said.  Keith threw the phone back and walked out.  The kid didn’t catch his phone.  Lance looks at Mrs. Boston.  She points at his usual spot telling him to sit down.

Pidge was not going to be a happy woman.

* * *

“What do you mean not come in tonight?”  Lance asks over the phone while riding the bus home, Sam was leaning on him trying to sleep.

“I mean don’t come in!”  Allura said.  “Keith came home mad about his fake relationship with you and well… I’m going to close it for tonight.”  She said.  “You two might argue and admit to the relationship being fake and you won’t be able to work here anymore.”

“You gonna call Coran and tell him that we’re not open tonight?”

“Yes.”  Allura said.  “But be ready tomorrow.”

“Okay.”  Lance nods.  “Thanks Allura, see you tomorrow.”

“Yes, see you tomorrow.”  They hung up.  Lance saw their stop coming up, he shook Sam awake and leads him off the bus and into the house.  Sam used his wheelchair as a walker.  As soon as they walked in Lance picks up Sam and carried him upstairs so he could rest, Sam was still gasping for air.

“Just breath Samuel.  Just keep breathing.”

“Lance…”  He whimpers.  “My chest hurts.”

“It’s okay Sam, you need to relax.”

“It feels like it’s burning.”  He whimpers.  Lance didn’t say anything, he didn’t know what to say.  He just put Sam in his bed and turned the old baby monitor on.  Sam fell asleep quickly, he wore himself out.

Lance walks back down and just lays on the couch.  He was done with everything at the moment.

* * *

Lance played with Sarah and Rico Saturday morning.  Sam was in his bed resting, lately he’s been getting weaker so he needed all the rest he can get.  Sarah and Rico were playing with cars and trucks while Lance pushed them along with an absent mind.  The kids knew he was thinking hard about something.   


“You okay Lance?”  Sarah asks.  Lance looks at his sister.   


“Oh, yeah… yeah I’m fine sweetie.”   


“ _ No te ves bien. _ ”

“I’m fine Sarah, don’t worry.”  He said, his phone went off moments later.  He answered.  “Yello?”

“Um Lance?”  Allura’s voice carried over.

“Hey Allura.”

“We need you down now to help out.”

“But I help out at night.”

“Yes but…”  She trails off.  “My cousin called and said he wanted to see the place for himself.  He wants to see if this cafe is worth it and well… he told a lot of his followers online he was going to be here.”

“Is your cousin famous or something?”  Lance asks.

“Pretty looking, rich boy with a phone.  Equals to yes… yes he’s famous on the internet.”  She said.  “So now I’m getting preppy teenage losers wanting coffee here and wanting to meet Lotor.”

“Lame name.”  Lance said.  “Okay I’m coming.”  Lance got up and put his coat on.  “Tell Mamá I’m at the cafe.  Sam’s sleeping so leave him be.  Okay?”

“Okay.”  Sarah responds.  Rico nods and the two go back to playing.  Lance walks out of the house and towards the cafe.

* * *

“You were not kidding.”  Lance said as he saw multiple people in the cafe.  Keith and Coran were working a mile a minute.

“Lance my dear boy!  We need help!”  He cries. Lance nods and took some drinks from Keith.

“Okay I got a number sixteen and a number seventeen.”  He calls, some girls walk over and took them.  “Eighteen and twenty, nineteen your food is ready!”  Lance calls.

They got done in about two hours… there was a lot of people.  Lance walked into the kitchen to see how the other two were holding up.  Keith saw Lance and walked over to him, he rests his head on his shoulder.

“I’m tired…”  He whines.

“It’s okay  _ Cariño.   _ It’s all over…”  Lance held him leaned against the wall.  “I can’t feel my legs.”

“I’m sick of coffee.”

“You don’t drink coffee.”

“I don’t wanna see it ever again.”  Keith cuddled into Lance’s shoulder.  “I hate it even more now.”  He kept whining.

They heard the door open again, all three men groan.  Then everyone in the cafe gasps.  That signaled it.

“Hello Lotor.”  Allura said.

“Hello sweet cousin, how are you today?”  He asks.

“I’ve been better, hows the ridiculously high ponytail?”

“Works for me.”  He smiles.  “Let me see…”  He looks at the menu, he notices Keith peeking out.  He just waves.  Keith sinks back in.

“I hate him.”  Keith hisses.

“You barely know him.”  Coran scolds.

“Still hate him.”

“Who is that?”  Lance asks.

“Lotor.”

“Oh Allura’s famous cousin.”

“He’s popular on the internet, not famous.”  Keith corrects.  They heard him order, Allura wrote an “I’m sorry :(“ on the note next to it.  Keith reads his order and groans.

“WE ARE NOT A FUCKING STARBUCKS YOU TRASHY INSTAGRAM USER!”

“Not only instagram my dear.”  He pulls his sunglasses up and winks.  He sat down at a random table while a few of his fans had the nerve to walk up to him and ask for selfies.

Keith made his overly complicated drink and hands it to Lance.  Lance walks out and hands it to him.  The girls all walked off and kept talking amongst themselves.

“One…”  He read what Keith wrote on it.  “Uh, stupid fucking dri- Really Keith?”  Lance asks over his shoulder.  “I hope he got it right.”  Lance said.  Lotor just stared at Lance, he seemed shocked by something.

“Well here you go.”  Lance said, trying to be friendly.

“Now who are you?  You look familiar.”  Lotor asks.  Lance smiles.

“Name’s Lance.”  He said.  Lotor remembers him.

“Oh right, Lance… you were that boy Keith was talking to.”  He said, then he rests his chin on his hands.  “You looked decent on screen but up close you’re a real beauty.  And named after such an elegant weapon, it suites a man like you.”

“Huh?”  Lance didn’t know how to respond to that.

“Such beautiful blue eyes.  How does someone get those?”  He got up and took Lance’s glasses off.  “Damn… you’re perfection.”

“I-I’m what now?”  Lance was really confused and somewhat flustered.  Allura was just as shocked as Lance was confused.  She got the other boys attention.

“Keith?  You might want to see this.”

“See what?”

“Lotor is hitting on Lance… for some unknown reason.”

“HE’S WHAT?!”  Keith got out and watched.  Lotor kept talking away to Lance.  Lance was just standing there not knowing what to do.  And pictures were being taken.

“U-Um this is nice and all but I’ve got to go back to work.”  Lance said.  Lotor kept smiling.

“Aw that’s a shame.  I would like to get to know you more Lance~  Maybe another time?”  He asks.  Lance looks away.

“Um… I don’t know… maybe…”  Lance didn’t know how to talk to this guy.  Lotor smirks.

“No need to be shy now~”  He lifts Lance’s chin up and gave him a small kiss.  All his fans gasp in shock and squeal at how cute it was.  Keith felt anger boil over him, that right there, that was crossing the line.

“NOPE NOPE NO NO NO NO NO NO!”  Keith walks over and pulled Lance away.  “Not okay, back the fuck off!”

“What’s this now?”  He asked in an annoyed tone.

“This is you backing off!  No one touches Lance, got it?”  Keith hissed.  Lotor chuckles at Keith’s jealous and protective nature.  Lance noticed that they were making a scene, he pulled at Keith’s jacket.

“Um… Keith i-it’s okay.  Just stop making a scene.”

“IT’S NOT OKAY LANCE!  YOU’RE MY BOYFRIEND, NOT HIS!”  He shouts.  Their audience gasps.  Lotor raises an eyebrow.

“Really now.”  He wasn’t buying it.  “Prove it.”  He points at Keith, Keith glares at Lotor.  Holding Lance close, trying to protect him.

“Guys please, it’s nothing.  Let’s just make up a-”  Keith pulls Lance down and kisses him in front of the whole cafe.  Everyone gasps, Lotor eyes went wide.  He wasn’t expecting Keith to actually prove it.

Keith pulls away and held Lance close, Lance was frozen in place.

“He’s already taken!”  He pulls Lance into the kitchen to get away from that freak.  Coran walks out and cheers with Allura, Allura wasn’t cheering.  She was way to surprised that Keith took such a bold move there.

“Lance?”  Keith was trying to get his attention.  “Lance…”

“I-I’m okay…”  Lance whimpers.  “He still has my glasses.”

“Dammit.”  Keith about walked out.

“Keith.”  Lance pulls him back.  “Um… thanks I guess.”

“You guess?”

“Yeah… I didn’t know what to do out there.”  He chuckles.  “So thanks for getting me out of there.”  Keith gave him his usual bright smile.  He kissed Lance again, Lance pushed him off laughing.  “Not here, okay?”

“Aw.”  Keith pouts.  “If you want to thank me you can kiss me.”

“Not here.”  Lance smacks his head.  Keith chuckles.

“Fine fine.”  He said.

“Lance.”  Allura calls him.  “Get over here.”

“Yeah?”  Lance walks out.  Lotor gave Lance his glasses back.  He pushes them up higher on his face.

“Just to let you know I’m not one to give up.”  He said with a smile.  “I’ve got my eyes set on you Lance~”

“U-Um…”  Lance was back to not knowing what to say.  Keith hugs him from behind, glaring right at Lotor.

“I’ll see you later beautiful.”  He kisses Lance’s forehead and walks out.  Keith took the washcloth for tables and scrubs Lance’s forehead.

“Get it off!  OFF!”

“Keith calm down.”  Lance whines.  Allura stares at Coran.

“I was not expecting that.”  She said.  “I’ve got to tell Shiro.”  She began to text Shiro what had just happened.  Lance tried pushing Keith off, for some reason he was being too protective.  But Lance would’ve been lying if he said he didn’t like it.


	39. Makes me Wish

Lance came home happily, Sarah runs up with a similar pleasent smile.  

“Lance Lance!”

“What sweetie?”  He asks.

“Sam’s better again.”  She said.  “His breathing in normal again!”

“Oh that’s great!”  Lance says happily, he grabs the baby monitor.  “Hey Samuel how you goin?”

“Get me out of this bed.”  He shouts back.  Sarah took the monitor from Lance.

“No Sam, you’ve gotta stay in bed.  Doctor’s orders.”

“I keep telling you, you are not a doctor Sarah!”  Sam sounded so done.  Sarah giggles and looks at Lance.  He just rolls his eyes and sat on the couch.  He noticed Rico curled up on the chair.

“ _ Oh pobre bebé. _ ”  Lance picks his brother up.  “I’m taking Rico upstairs, you should get to bed too.”

“Aw really?”  She whines.

“Yes.”  He said.  “Go to bed.”  Lance walked to the stairs when a knock came at the door.  Lance hands Rico to Sarah.  “Upstairs with you.”

“Awww.”  She pouts and walks up.  Lance watched as Sarah walked up, carrying her brother.  Lance walks towards the door and opens it.  Keith pokes his head in.

“Hello.”

“What is it Keith?”

“Can I not come over?”  He asks.  They heard something run down the stairs.

“Princess!”  Sarah runs over and hugs Keith, Keith happily returns it.  Lance gave his sister a look.

“Sarah, what did I say?”

“I don’t wanna go upstairs!”

“I said go to bed.”

“No!”  She clings to Keith.  “Princess is here.”

“You see Princess every freaking day!”  Lance points out.  Keith smiles and got on Sarah’s level.

“I’ll hang out with you tomorrow, okay?”

“Why not now?”

“Cause a certain meanie is telling you to go to bed.”

“Who you calling a meanie?”

“I promise to hang out with you tomorrow.”

“Promise?”

“Yes.”  Keith nods.  “But only if you go to bed now.”

“Okay.”  She walks upstairs.  Lance glares at Keith.

“A meanie.  What are you, five?”

“I was talking to a child.  I couldn’t call you a fucking dick.”

“She’s heard worse.”  Lance said.  “So what are you doing here?  You want something or are you hiding fro- You’re hiding from Shiro aren’t you.”

“Yeah.”  Keith nods.  “Allura told him everything that happened.  He keeps bugging me about the make out incident, I don’t want to hear what he has to say now.”  Keith said looking annoyed.  “Hey if that guy ever makes you uncomfortable then come to me, okay?”

“Really?”  Lance asks.

“Yes, if you really want to get away from Lotor then come to me.  He thinks we’re dating now so…”

“He doesn’t care.”

“Too damn bad.”  Keith said.  Lance actually chuckles at that.  Keith really hates this guy and doesn’t want him near Lance.  Keith leans against Lance’s shoulder smiling at him.  “Can I get my thanks now?”  He asks, Lance pushes him.

“You shit.”  He chuckles.  “I knew that was the real reason you came over!”

“We aren’t at the cafe now.”  Keith points out.  “Come on~”

“You’re just as bad as Lotor.”

“No I am not.”  Keith glares.  “There is one major difference between him and I.”

“What is that?”

“You actually like me.”  Keith sounded way too confident.  Lance started to laugh.

“Oh how true.  You got me there.”  Lance said through laughter.  “Fine, I’ll give you one.”

“One?”

“If it shuts you up then yes.  Only one.”

“I saved you from some creepy pervert.”

“So I should thank you by kissing you?  What kind of logic is that?  Oh you saved me from a pervert, I should kiss you.”

“Sounds logical to me.”  Keith said.  “So are you gonna kiss me or what?”  He smirks.  Lance groans.

“You are awful.”  Lance gave him a small kiss, Keith pulls him in closer.  Lance panics and pulls away.  “What the hell?”

“Hey what kind of a thank you is that?”  Keith teases.  Lance gave him a dirty look and looks away.

“You like rushing into things.”  Lance points out.  Keith laughs a bit and pulls him back in.  Lance had to get over the fact that Keith was going to be a way more passionate kisser now.  They lost track of time but stopped after they heard someone gasp in horror.  They looked at the stairs, Sarah was standing there looking shocked.

“S-Sarah I sai-”

“That was gross!”  She cuts her brother off.  “You put your tongue in Princess’s mouth!  That’s gross!”  She yells.  Lance covered his face in embarrassment, Keith just looks at the two with the world's most unamused face.

“J-Just go back upstairs Sarah!”

“No!  You two were being gross, I’m telling Mamá!”

“Don’t tell Mamá, please!”  He begs.  “She’ll never let this down!”  The two kept arguing, Keith got up and walks towards Sarah.

“Sarah, it’s okay.”  He said.  “Lance was… um… what we were doing was… well kissing but-”

“That wasn’t kissing!”

“Then what was it?”  Keith asks her.  Sarah had to think about it for a moment.

“It was gross, that’s what is was.”  She said in a quiet tone.  Keith chuckles.

“Sweetie, I didn’t think it was gross.”  He said.  She looked shocked.  “So it’s alright.”

“Princess… are you feeling well?”  She asked.

“Yes Sweetie, I’m fine.”  He nods.  “But I think you should listen to Lance and go to bed.”  He said.  She turns away.

“I’m still telling Mamá.”  She said as she walked upstairs.  Lance sighs and buries his head in his hands.

“God dammit.”  He mutters.  Keith laughs at Lance.

“Have fun dealing with her.”

“If Mamá says anything about what Sarah just saw I am kicking you out so you can go deal with Shiro.”

“But Shiro’s annoying.”

“So is mi Mamá.”  Lance said.  “I’m going to bed.”  Lance got up, Keith walks over to the couch and lays down.  “Why don’t you just live here?!  You seem to already with how many times I catch you on the couch.”

“Sounds like a plan.”  Keith lays down.  Lance walks over and sat at the edge of the couch.

“You can’t stay here forever.”

“I’m apart of this family now.”  Keith said, he smiles and buries his face in the pillow.  Lance had to look away, he was being cute again.  “What’s wrong?”

“Quit making that face!”

“What face?”  He asks confused.

“That one!  It’s precious and it bothers me.”

“Don’t you like it when I’m like this?”  Keith asks with an adorable tone.  Lance lays down on him, Keith yelps in pain since Lance practically flopped on him.  “Jesus Lance!”

“Why are you like this?”

“You love me and you know it.”  Keith laughs.  Lance just stares at him.

“Sadly.”  He kisses Keith’s head.  “I’m going upstairs.”

“Okay.”  Keith snuggles into the couch.  “Night Lance.”

“Night  _ Cariño. _ ”  Lance got up and walks upstairs.  Sam was still awake staring at the ceiling with the most bored look ever.

“Is Keith over?”

“Yes.”

“Is that why Sarah was screaming?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”  Sam said.  “You going to sleep?”

“Yeah, I’m tired.”

“Lucky bastard.  I’m not tired.”

* * *

Lance walks downstairs and saw his mother talking to Sarah.  Lance reached for his pills and yawns. 

“Mornin Mamá.”

“Mornin Lance.”  She hands him her coffee to take his pill.

“Thanks.”  He swallows it and decided to take her coffee.  It was warm and good plus she offered it.  He noticed his mother was laughing.

“So… you stuck your tongue in Keith’s mouth?”  Lance spits his coffee out.

“S-SARAH!”

“I told you I would tell Mamá.”  She said.  Lance looks at her in sadness.

“M-Mamá, it’s just uh…”  Lance couldn’t speak to her, he was too embarrassed.  She laughs.

“It’s okay Lance, I know it was just kissing.”

“Yeah I mean no I mean um…”  Lance stutters.

“Isn’t it called frenching?”  Keith asks from the living room.  Lance looks over at him, Keith was still laying on his stomach with his arm dangling off the couch.  He looked drunk.  Lance walks over to the sad excuse of a friend and decided to lay on him.  Keith groans.  “You fucking fat ass, get off of me.”

“No, you are at my house.  You are hanging out with me.  This is what you get.”  Lance said.  “Also you are now kicked out cause Mamá brought it up.”

“I don’t wanna deal with Shiro.”  Keith whines.

“I have to deal with Mamá!”  Lance points out.  “Go deal with your brother!”  He said.

“Stop using me as a seat so I can get up.”  Keith points out.  Lance got up, Keith snuggles back into the couch.

“You lazy son of a- GET UP!”

“Noooooooo.”  Keith whines.

“Come on  _ Cariño,  _ quit being lazy!”  Lance pulls on Keith’s arms, Keith was like a rag doll.  He groans as Lance pulled him off the couch.  Isabella heard the nickname and laughs.

“ _ Cariño?   _ Lance, did you just call Keith “sweetheart”?”  She asks with a shit eating grin.  Lance stops and glares at him mom, Keith just stared at Lance.

“SHUT UP!”  He whines.

“That’s what  _ Cariño _ means?”

“N-No!”

“Yes.”

“It doesn’t!”

“So does.”

“Mamá!”

“What?  I’m being honest.”  Isabella smirks.  Lance whimpers and finally got Keith on his feet.

“Now you have to deal with Shiro!”

“Aw!  I don’t want to deal with my brother!  He’s gonna never let me hear the end of it!”  Keith whines.  Lance gave him a look.

“Want me to come with you?”  Silence.

“... Please?”

“Are you serious?”  Lance sighs.  “Fine, come on.”  The two walked out, Isabella waves them off happily.

* * *

Keith and Lance walk into the cafe, Lance glares at Keith.

“You little shit!  You are trying to avoid him!”

“Duh, and I’m the one with a car so… I win~”  Keith sings.  Lance hates it when Keith kids around, he doesn’t seem like the one who would joke around.

They look over and see Shiro waving at them, Keith immediately turns around.  Lance grabs him.

“Oh no you don’t.”  Lance pulls him back, Keith tried running away.  “Hi Shiro, how are you?”

“I’m good, how are you?  After that little incident I’d be a little uncomfortable.”  He said.  Lance pulls Keith with him and sits next to Shiro.

“I’m good, a little surprised is all.”  Lance said.  “Though I did have a little help with the situation.”

“So I’ve heard.  Right Keith?”  He smirks at his brother.  Keith hid his face in one hand.

“Shut up, I knew you’d do this to me!”  He says in a cold tone.  The shit eating grin never left his face.

“You know you two aren’t really a thing right?  You don’t have to protect him from Lotor.”  Shiro points out, Keith just glares at Shiro.  “Calm down, Coran is sick today so he isn’t hear to hear that.”  Keith still glared.  Lance looks at the two and broke the silence.

“I didn’t mind it!  In fact when he stepped in it made me feel safer.  So I liked that Keith was there to help out!”

“Oh yeah right.  Lance, he’s just jealous that someone else likes you.”  Shiro said.  Keith was ready to kill Shiro.

“It’’s fine Shiro.”  Lance spoke up.  “Keith doesn’t have to worry about something like that.”

“Why is that?”  Shiro asks.  Lance looks down and smiles slightly.

“Um… if I had to pick between Lotor and Keith, I’d choose Keith.”  He said.  Keith’s face turned a bright crimson color, Shiro about laughed at his brother’s face.  Keith turned away and storms into the kitchen.  Lance runs after him.

“Keith?  Keith, I’m sorry!”  Lance says in a sad tone.  Allura watches the two run in, she gave Shiro a look.  He only shrugs.

* * *

That day was decent until Lotor came back, he had his friends with him this time.  Lance looks over and slinks back down into the kitchen.

“If anyone asks, I’m not here.”  He said to Keith, Keith rolls his eyes and went back to cleaning the dishes.  Then the door bursts open.  A girl with red hair in a long ponytail looks over, her bright blue eyes screamed playful.

“Is this him Lotor?”  She asks happily.  Another girl with short blue hair pulls her back.

“Ezor, can’t you act decent for a moment?”

“Wah!  Acxa let me go!  I wanna know if that’s the boy Lotor likes!”  She whines.  Lance backs away and saw all the girls walk in.  He notices the other two, a bigger girl who was actually kind of scary and a girl with black glasses and a walking cane.  So a blind girl?

“Ezor, Acxa come here please.”  Lotor said.  “Allura has rules about non-workers in the kitchen.”  He said in a cool tone.  The girls all walk up to him.

“But Lotor, is that boy the “Lance” you were talking about?”  Ezor asks in a bubbly tone.

“Was he wearing blue glasses?”

“Yes.”

“Then yes, that’s him.”  Lotor nods, he peaks in through the window.  “Hello Lance.”  He waves sweetly.  Lance looks at him and slowly waves back.  Keith held up his knife.

“Get your ugly face out of the window before I stab you.”

“Rude.  Girls come here and see… er except you Narti… you can hear or something.”  The his friends walk over and look, except for Narti, at Lance and Keith.  “That’s Lance, and this little shit is Keith.”  Silence.

“HA!  SHIT!”  The bigger girl points at Keith and laughs.  Acxa smacks her.

“Come on Zethrid, it’s a cafe, a quiet place.”  She said in a sour tone.  Lance had no clue how those five were friends, they were so different.  Well his friend group was different but these girls, and Lotor, were vastly different.

“He is really cute~”  Ezor said.  “Hey come here so Narti can feel your face!”  She said.  Lance slowly walks up and took his glasses off.  He let’s the blind girl feel his face.  She pats around and her face changes, she smiles and rubs his face.  Ezor looks at her confused.

“What is it Narti?”  She asks.  Narti looks at her and didn’t say anything.  “Oh, do you like how his skin feels?  Is it soft?  I wanna feel!”  Ezor rubs Lance’s face as well.  “Oh my God!  It’s incredible!”  She said happily.

Lance backs away awkwardly.  Keith pulls him closer and glares at them, mainly Lotor.  The girls gasp.

“Lotor, is this boy dating that guy?”  Acxa asks.  Lotor sighs.

“Apparently.”

“You want me to beat up the runt?”  Zethrid made a punching motion at Keith.

“No, I think Allura would be quite upset that her brother in law got hurt.

“Damn straight I would.”  Allura snaps.  “They aren’t animals Lotor, leave them alone and let them work.”  Lotor clicks his tongue.

“I am going to order something you know.  Want something you guys?”  He asks his friends.  They all nod.  “Okay, tell me what it is you want.”  They all ordered and Allura wrote another ‘I’m sorry :(‘ on the note.  Keith held it up.

“AGAIN WE ARE NOT STARBUCKS!”

“Just make it.”  Lotor snaps.  The group of five sit down and talk.  Lance helped Keith with making the overly complicated drinks.  Keith grumbles the whole time.

“We have a menu, just pick something off the menu.  I can handle not adding something but no, they want a fucking mocha with a chocolate blossom and no whip cream, oh and add a little hazelnut.  The fucking redhead wants a heart shape foam, like I have no idea how to do that!”  He kept going, Lance chuckles.

“Calm down  _ mi Cariño. _ ”

“Don’t tell me to calm down.”  He snaps.  Lance finished one drink and looked at the order.  

“What’s a Gyeongju bread?”  Lance asks butchering the word entirely.  Keith looks in the pastry box and pulls out a circular shaped pastry.

“This.”  Keith went back to making drinks.  Lance stares at the odd pastry.

“In what world is bread shaped like a fucking rolo?  Like seriously, it’s so dumb looking.  Was the country high or something when making this?  Where the heck is this pastry from?”  Lance asks.  Keith gave him a sour look.

“Korea.”  Awkward silence.

“... … … What else is on the order?”  Lance went back to the note.  Keith looks down and continued what he was doing.

“What dumb fucking country eats roasted pig?  Are they high?  They roast an entire fucking pig and eat the damn thing.  What kind of country does that?”  Keith mocks Lance.  The Cuban glares at him.

“Okay I’m sorry.  But it looks like a fucking rolo, don’t tell me it doesn’t!”

“It’s filled with red bean paste dum dum.  It’s shaped like that because of the bean paste.”  Keith put the last two drinks on the tray with the Gyeongju bread.  Lance gave a disgusted look.

“Red bean paste?”  He asks.  “Sounds nasty.”

“Eating a big roasted pig sounds nasty.”  Keith points out.  “Whatever, just go give them their drinks and get back before lotion boy out there tries anything.”

“Okay okay.”  Lance walks out to the table and hands them their tray.  “Let’s see this is… Keith they have names I’m sure.”  He snaps at Keith, who in return gave Lance a thumbs up.  “Alright just remember I did not say any of this.”  Lance whines.

“This is for Lotor, this is you red head.  Blue haired girl, redhead.  This is the strong one’s with the pastry.”

“My cup says ditzy ginger.”  Ezor said.  Acxa looks at Ezor’s cup then back at hers.

“Coral Blue lipstick no. 2… I got a fucking referance?”  She was not amused.  Zethrid was about to throw a tantrum at hers.

“I’M AM A FUCKING GIRL!  WANT ME TO PROVE IT TO YA?!”

“No thank you.”  Keith called from the kitchen.

“My just says Prince Lotion…”  Lotor just stared at his.  He looks at Narti’s.  “And yours is… you didn’t write anything for her?!”

“Can she read?”  Keith asks.

“Well…”  Lotor looks away.  “He’s got a point.”  Narti smacks Lotor with her walking stick.  “Ow!  Jeez sorry.”

“Well enjoy.”  Lance tried leaving.  But again Lotor said he wouldn’t give up.  He grabs the end of Lance’s jacket and smirks.

“Where are you going Beautiful?”

“Back to work?”  Lance points at the kitchen.  “I’m technically on the clock.”  He said.  Lotor’s smirk never left.

“You’d rather spend your time with that mess in the kitchen?”

“I’ll show you “mess” pretty boy!”  Keith shouts.  Zethrid looks over with an angry look, Lotor pats her shoulder.

“Calm down dear, he won’t hurt me.”  He said, Zethrid nods and calms herself down.  Lance tugs his jacket away from Lotor’s grasp.

“Um… you’re with your friends this time so I shouldn’t distract you.”  Lance chuckled nervously.  That caused all the girls to laugh a bit, Lotor rolls his eyes.

“Alright Beautiful.  But I’ll be wanting to see you before I leave.”  He winks at Lance, Lance did not want to admit that that fucking wink made his heart skip a beat.  He walks back in the kitchen and Keith immediately grabs him.

“Woah, Keith it’s okay!”

“No, I don’t like him talking to you like that!”  Keith said.  “I hate it.”  He whines.

“Are you okay?”

“Don’t go back out there, I don’t want you to talk to him.”  Keith hugs him, he spoke softly against his neck.  “I don’t like the way he talks to you.”  Lance smiles and hugs Keith back.

“You have got to calm down  _ Cariño.   _ If it makes you feel better I won’t talk to him.”

“That’s not the issue.  I don’t want him to talk to you either.”  Keith said.  Lance sighs and pulls away slightly.

“I cannot stop him from that.  He’ll try to talk to me and I cannot control that, you know that Keith.”  He said.  Keith looks down.

“Do you still like me more?”  He asks.  Lance chuckles.

“What kind of question is that?”  Lance asks.  “Of course I like you more Keith.”  Lance kisses his forehead and pulls him back in for another hug.  “Stop worrying so much.”  Keith clings to Lance like a leech.

“Worried.”  Keith mumbles.  “I’m very worried.”

* * *

Lance walks out when the group left, he thought they all left but no Lotor had to stick around.

“Hello Beautiful.”

“WAH!”  Lance jumps.  “Woah… you… you scared me.”  He said.  “Didn’t you go with your friends?”

“They said I could stay, Ezor told me that I have to go shopping with them tomorrow to make up for the horrid time here.  Though I could tell Narti and Acxa liked it here.”  He smiles.  “So how are you today?  I barely got to talk to you.”

“Um… fine… I’m fine.  So I guess I’ll be heading back now.”  Lance tried leaving, Lotor grabs Lance’s waist and pulls him back.  Lance yelps at the sudden contact, and Lotor was strong enough to pull him back.

“Come now, I just want to talk.”

“You can find someone who is more worthy of your time than me.”  Lance said in a panic.

“What do you mean?”  Lotor asks.  “You my dear are the one who deserves all of my time.  Every second of it.  I’d say I am not worthy of yours.”  He said.  Lance blushed at that, his blue eyes grew wide.  It was so nice, so gentlemanly.  Lance could feel his heart race again.

Allura saw that and stood.

“Lotor, stop that!”  She snaps.  “You know Lance is currently in a relationship!”  Lotor glares at his cousin.  He didn’t say a word to her, only went back to focusing on Lance.  He had him right where he wanted him.

“So Beautiful, what’s on your mind right now?”

“Um…”  Lance’s thoughts were racing.  “Well… I … I kind of should go back to-”

“Don’t say go back to work, just talk to me.”  He pulled Lance in closer.  Lance’s face was practically burning.

“I don’t know what to talk about… also talking to you like this is very awkward…”  Lance points out, he wanted to get out of Lotor’s grasp.  Lotor didn’t let him go.

“Okay instead of talking.”  He pulls Lance in and kisses him.  Lance’s eyes went wide, he felt like every muscle in his body tighten.

“LOTOR!”  Allura shouts, Lotor didn’t stop but he gave Allura a look.  Keith walks out of the kitchen and threw something hard at Lotor’s head.  Lotor stopped and held his head in pain.

Lance held his mouth and just stares at Lotor.  He backed away, far far away.  Keith was enraged, he walks up to Lotor and pushes him out without saying a word.  As soon as he was out he points at Lance.

“WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!”

“I-I just-”

“YOU JUST WHAT?!”

“He just grabbed me and I didn’t know what to do.”

“ARE YOU A FUCKING IDIOT?!  OR DID YOU ACTUALLY LIKE THAT?!”

“Keith I’m sorry-”

“NO YOU’RE NOT!  YOU’RE NOT SORRY!”  Keith snaps.  “YOU WANTED THAT, DIDN’T YOU!  YOU WANTED HIM TO DO THAT!”

“I didn’t want tha-”

“DON’T FUCKING LIE TO ME!  YOU ALWAYS LIE LANCE!”  Keith kept shouting.  Lance actually wanted to cry, he could feel tears trying to come out.

“Please Keith… I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean t-”

“JUST SHUT UP!  YOU WENT ALONG WITH THAT!  YOU FUCKING WENT ALONG AND LET HIM FLIRT WITH YOU!  YOU LIKED IT, YOU LIKED HOW HE SPOKE TO YOU!  HELL I’M SURE YOU REALLY LIKED THE WAY HE KISSED YOU!”  He snaps.  Lance finally hit his limit, he held back his tears and yells back.

“M-MAYBE I DID!”  He shouts.  “AT LEAST HE TELLS ME HE LIKES ME!  AT LEAST HE SHOWS IT, UNLIKE YOU!”  Keith’s eyes went wide, now he was feeling a little scared.

“I’VE BEEN NICE TO YOU, I CALL YOU NICKNAMES AND ALL THAT!  I SHOW YOU THAT I LOVE YOU, YOU DON’T DO ANY OF THAT SHIT!  YOU’RE JUST OVERLY CLINGY WHEN HE SHOWS UP!”  Lance points out.  “SO WHAT DO YOU EXPECT WHEN SOMEONE COMES OVER TO ME AND CALLS ME BEAUTIFUL?  SOMEONE WHO HOLDS ME AND TELLS ME THEY LOVE ME!  MAKES ME WISH MY OWN BOYFRIEND WOULD DO THAT!”

Keith didn’t say anything, he looks down.  Lance breaths in and calms himself down.

“I’m leaving.”  He walks out of the cafe enraged.  Allura just watched that whole thing in shock.  She had no clue what to say, she noticed Keith holding himself looking down, she heard a hiccup.

“Keith?”  She walks over.  “Sweetheart, are you okay?”  She got him to look at her, Keith was trying so hard not to cry.  “Keith it’s okay.”  He shook his head.  “Oh come here love.”  She holds him, he clung to her and whimpers.  He knew that he overreacted, and now he fucked up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why hasn't my caps lock broke yet? Also oh snipity snip snap yo! Shits going down!


	40. A 'Matt'er of Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reading that title I'm sure you cannot tell who shows up. Have fun reading everyone.

Lance walks into his home, he throws his coat off and hid his face in the couch.  Then he screamed.  He screamed out all his frustrations, anger, and sadness.  He did not expect that to go down, he never thought he’d get into a fight like that.

Rico comes down and saw his brother in his current state.  He walks up and rubs Lance’s back, hoping that’d stop the screaming.  Lance stops and looks up at Rico.

“W-What is it Rico?”  He asks.  Rico saw tears coming from his brother’s eyes, he could tell Lance was upset by something.

“You okay Lances?”

“Oh.  Y-Yeah.”  Lance wipes his eyes.  “I’m fine sweetie.  Just… I just got into a fight with Kei Kei is all.”  He sat up, Rico climbs on the couch and sat with him.

“What you fight about?”  He asks.  Lance sighs.

“Well… someone likes me and Keith doesn’t like that.”

“Why?”

“Cause apparently I’m Keith’s boyfriend.  I’m with him and someone else is kissing me and telling me they like me.”

“But Kei Kei is suppose to do that, not someone else.”  Rico said, Lance nods.

“I… I know.  But this guy.  He-He calls me “Beautiful” and holds me, makes me feel special.  Keith doesn’t do that… so I don’t know.  I kind of wish he’d do that more.”

“Lances.”  Rico starts.  “Kei Kei loves you lots and lots.  He knows you betta dan da person who’s been twien to take-d you.”  Rico says.  “If you love-d Kei Kei lots and lots dan you should love him da way he is.”  He points out.  Lance was trying to remember how old this kid was.

For being two this kid speaks his fucking mind, and he has a smart mind.

“Night night  _ hermano. _ ”  He got down.  “ _ Espero que te compones con Kei Kei. _ ”  Rico walks back upstairs.  Lance nods when Rico wasn’t looking.

“Yeah, night Rico.”  Lance leans back and stares at the ceiling.  He cannot believe that he talked about relationship issues to a two year old, like Rico understood… he was too young to understand what was going on.

* * *

Keith tried playing his DS, he was trying so hard to distract himself but nothing was working.  Not even his cute Typhlosion could distract him.  He saved and turned his DS off.  He fell backwards and waited for something to happen, like something good to happen.  Nothing.

“Dammit.”  He mutters.  Keith got up and went into the kitchen to eat something, he didn’t care that it was two in the morning, he was hungry and too upset to sleep.

He threw some leftover chili in the microwave and sat down on the couch waiting for it to be done.  He watched outside, a clear night, he could see faint lights from nearby stores and bars.  The city was always bright.

He heard the microwave go off, he walks over and grabs the bowl.  He put it on a plate so he wouldn’t burn his hands and walks back to the couch.  He continued to watch people outside.  Like some gang members who were fighting, he watched some gang members beat each other up, steal money, and ran before the cops showed up.  Well that was entertaining for a good five seconds.

Keith finished his food but he decided to lay on the couch and stare at the blank TV screen.  He didn’t know what to do or how to fix his current situation.  Keith remembered what Lance had said to him.

Compliment him?  Keith has a hard time being nice as is.  Hold him, call him Beautiful?  Keith is awkward, like he can do that.  Try?  He was trying.  He’s never been in a relationship before, hell he didn’t have any friends till this school year started.  He thought about how Lotor acted in the cafe.

Lotor was everything Keith wasn’t… Lotor was confident in himself.  He seemed more compassionate, he knew what to say.  Keith wasn’t like that.  He insults people, even if he’s being playful, his words could come off as hurtful.  He never knew what to say to others, and what confidence?  Keith hated himself more than anyone else.

Lotor was attractive, he knew how to dress.  Everything he wore was stylish and looked good on him.  Keith looks like shit, he has an ugly ass mullet and had no sense of style.  He would worry somewhat about his appearance, but he always liked the rebellious look, which wasn’t always the best look.

He showed his interest in Lance, and he just recently met him.  Keith has had a crush on Lance for the past five months and has needed the help of his friends and family for freaking everything.

Lance was way too good for Keith.  He sighs and waited for sleep to take him over.

* * *

Keith’s phone woke him up, he needed to put it on vibrate if it could wake him up so violently.  It scared him so bad he screamed and threw his head off the couch.  He glares at it and took it from the end table.  How it got there?  Probably Shiro, he was gone so he must’ve put it by Keith in case he needed something.

Keith picks it up and saw it was a text from Pidge.  He replies with a ‘wtf pidge i was sleeping!’

‘Hi keef.’

‘What do you want?’

‘Im happy to tell you my brother’s back in town!’

‘... …’

‘Keith?’

‘Brb im barricading the door to my house’

‘Wow… come on keith, it’s matt.’

‘Im well aware of that’

Keith just put his phone down, he got up and got ready for work.  Might as well go out and work so Allura doesn’t lose her fucking mind.

* * *

Shiro was helping in the back with Coran.  Keith walks over to Allura, she smiles at him happily.

“Morning sleepy head.”

“Morning, what do I do today?”

“Serving.  We have two people in the kitchen today.  Also it’s Sunday so we aren’t busy.”  She said.  Keith sighs and sat next to Allura waiting for some customers.  He looks in the kitchen.

“Make me a hot chocolate!”

“Really Keith?”

“Make me one!”

“How do you like it?”  Shiro asks.  Allura looks in.

“He likes it no milk and a shot of vanilla.”

“H-How do you make a hot chocolate with no milk?”  He asks.  Allura walks back and makes it.  Lance walks in while Allura was in the kitchen.  He sees Keith sitting down doing nothing.  Lance leans against the wall and waits for something to happen, the two didn’t say anything.

Allura comes out and hands Keith a hot chocolate.

“Oh Lance, you want something?”

“Yeah, a chocolate latte.”  Lance calls.

“Anything special?”  Shiro asks.

“How it’s usually made.”  He said.  Shiro nods and was thankful that Lance’s drink was normal.  Allura took it from Shiro and hands it to Lance.  “Thanks.”

“Mm-hm.”  Allura nods.

“Is Lotor coming back?”  Lance asks nervously.  Keith glares at Lance, seriously?  The first thing you bring up is him?

“No, I told him he couldn’t come back till he had his shit together.”  Allura snaps.  Lance sighs in relief.

“Oh thank God!”  He said.  Keith nods in agreement.  Allura thought for a moment.

“Don’t think he’ll listen though.”

“Dammit Allura!”  Lance now whines.  “This is your cafe, kick him out!”

“For what?”

“Harassment!”  Keith shouts.  Allura rolls her eyes and began to read waiting for business.  Lance walks over to Keith and leans against him, the two seemed calm with each other despite the argument they had yesterday.

The whole group seemed calm with everything.  Then the door flew open, someone rushes in.

“IT’S MATT TIME!”  He shouts.  Lance clung to Keith in fear.  Allura was just confused.  Nobody said anything.

Shiro runs out of nowhere and tackles the guy down, the two scream and wrestle.  Shiro got the guy on the ground easily then put him in a headlock.  The new guy was laughing, his glasses crooked and his hair a mess.

“Dammit Shiro, how are you so fucking strong with one arm missing?!”  He asks.  Shiro laughs and carries the guy over to Allura.  Still kept him in a headlock.  The man held his arm out happily.

“Hi I’m Matt.”  He said.  Allura gave him a confused look and slowly grabs his arm.

“Uh… I’m Allura.”  She said awkwardly.

“Nice to meet ya.”  He said still staying positive.  He looks over.  “Hi Keith!”  He waves happily.

“Hi.”  Keith waves back.  Matt looks at Lance, Keith saw Matt staring.  “This is Lance.”

“Hello.”

“Who’s the Pidge look alike?”

“That’s her brother Matt.”

“God, they are identical.”  Lance said in a scared tone.

“Oh just wait Lance, they don’t just look alike.  They act alike.”  That made Lance scared.  He didn’t want another Pidge, one was enough.

“Sooooo what’s new?”  He asks, still in a headlock.

“Oh a lot is new.”  Shiro said.  Matt looks over at the group.

“I can tell a lot has changed.  Also I’m surprised that’s your girlfriend.”  Matt said.  Shiro gave a confused look.

“What do you mean?”

“Well I didn’t think she was black.”  Matt points out.  Allura folds her arms across her chest.  She raised an eyebrow at Matt, Shiro knew what that meant… not Matt.

“What’s that suppose to mean?”  She asks.

“Hm?”  Matt looks at her.  “Well I don’t know.  I didn’t expect you to look like that.”

“Are you saying something is wrong with me?”  She asks in a sour tone.  Matt shook his head.

“No, you’re still as pretty as Shiro descri-”  Shiro tightened his grip on Matt, his face red.

“Yes Matt she is pretty, now shut up.”  He said.  Keith laughs.

“Come on Shiro, Allura is your girlfriend.  You can call her pretty.”  He mocks.  Lance just looks at Keith.

“I guess brothers are alike.”  He said.  Keith groans.

“Don’t start that!”

“I’m not starting anything.  Just pointing something out.”

“Lance.”

“I guess Allura knows what it’s like.”

“Stop it!  I know what you are doing!”

“I’m doing nothing  _ Cariño _ .”  Lance was being salty.  Keith pouts and looks away from Lance.  Lance went back to leaning against Keith, he knew Keith wouldn’t push him off.

“Anyways… can you put me down now?”

“Sure.”  Shiro drops Matt.  “So what are you doing here?”

“Oh yeah, I took a break.  I wanted to hang out with my old pals again, and I see I have some new friends to make.”

“If I mistake you for your sister I apologize in advance.”  Lance points out.  Matt looks at Lance.

“You’re friends with my little Katie?”

“Uh… yeah.”  Lance nods.  Matt smiles.

“Aw I’m glad she’s making more friends!  She’s so sassy I thought she wouldn’t make any other friends.”  Shiro taps Matt’s shoulder.

“You know… Keith and Katie started hanging out.”

“Really?  Those two use to hate each other.”  Matt was actually shocked.  Keith nods, he leans his head on Lance’s and kept listening to their conversation.

“And you’ll never guess this.”  Shiro starts again.  “They’re best friends.”

“No way!”  Matt laughs.  “Oh my God.  I guess it’s fate!”  Matt said.  “So fate, it was meant to be!”  He kept laughing.  “So who’s this Lance guy?  Did you finally come out of the closet and got yourself a boyfriend?”  Matt asks, Lance just looked to the side.

“Dunno, you tell me.”

“Get away from me if you’re going to be like this!”  Keith hissed.  Shiro looks at Matt shocked.

“Y-You knew he was gay?”

“It was obvious Shiro.”  Matt said.  “He never looked at women the same way most kids his age did at the time.”  He points out, Shiro facepalms over not being observant.  That’s his little brother, he fucking lives with the guy and never once noticed.

“Yes, I came out.”  Keith said.

“So this is your boyfriend or is he just a friend?”  Matt asks.  Lance wouldn’t look at Keith.

“I guess we’re just friends.”  He said.  Keith lost it.

“That’s it, I’m done with you!”  He got up and storms off.  “I cannot stand you when you’re like this!”

“Oh bite me.”  Lance snaps back.  “I’m going home, nothing’s happening here.”

“Okay, goodnight Lance.”  Allura said.  A few minutes later Keith walked out.

“See you at home you two.”  He said.  Shiro and Allura looked at each other, this wasn’t going well.  As soon as Coran left Allura locked the door and the three hung out in the cafe together to talk.

“You want something Matt?”  Allura asks.

“Coffee please.”

“Anything special?”  She raised an eyebrow.

“Hm… you got hazelnut?”

“One hazelnut coffee.”  She began to make it.  Shiro sat down with a green tea and waited for Allura to come back.  She walks over with Matt’s coffee and sat down with the two boys.

“So how’s everything Matt?”  Shiro asks.

“Good, my father has been making me work to the bone lately so it’s nice that the two of us could finally take a break.”  Matt takes a drink and sighs.  “Damn this is good.”

“Thank you.”  Allura smiles.  “How long have you two been best friends again?”

“Oh God.”  Shiro leans back.  “Since we were six so… thirteen years?”  He asks Matt, Matt counts with his fingers.

“Yeah, yeah thirteen years.”  He nods, Allura’s eyes grew.

“Wow, I cannot imagine being friends for that long.”

“Well I was the only one who could put up with him.”  Shiro teases, Matt stuck his tongue out.

“Shut the fuck up Shiro, you love me.”

“I tolerate you.”  Shiro points out.

“Aw, it’s like how I tolerate you and Keith.”  Allura teases.  Shiro looks at her.

“Okay… ow.  Feeling the love there Princess.”

“Princess?”  Matt chuckles.  “You call her Princess?”

“Yes.”  Shiro nods.  “Can ya blame me?  She acts like a spoiled Princess!”

“I am your Princess Shiro~”  Allura smirks, Shiro pushes her face.

“And you are going to be quiet now.”

“Aw.”  Allura chuckles.  Matt played with his cup and stares his friend down.

“So… what’s with Keith and that Lance kid?”  He asked in a serious tone.  Shiro and Allura looked at each other.

“Those two are having… issues.”

“They gonna break up?”

“That’s the thing.”  Allura looks away.  “They aren’t in a relationship.  They’re faking it.”

“Wha- why?”  Matt was confused.  Shiro began to explain.

“Only family can work in the cafe, because Alfor is nuts and doesn’t want Allura to go out of business.”  Shiro said.  “Lance wants to keep working here to support his mom since she’s the only one taking care of four kids.  So we told Coran, who came to check on her, that Lance was Keith’s boyfriend.”

“Oh… that’s smart.”

“Yeah… Coran knows it’s fake.”

“WHAT?!”  Matt was so lost.

“Yeah, it was luck that he came in and told Allura that rule.”  Shiro said.  “So I thought I’d use it to my advantage and help my brother out.  He’s been crushing on Lance for a while now so I used it.  However Coran figured out it was fake and we told him we were trying to hook them up.”

“They’re starting to treat this fake relationship like a real one.”  Shiro explained.  Matt grew a shit eating grin.

“Takashi, you sly son of a bitch.  You’ve planned the whole thing out.”

“Again, Coran was just pure luck.”  Shiro smiles.  “But now we have an issue to block further progress… like always.”

“What’s going on?”  Matt asks.  Allura looks away.

“Lotor, my fucking cousin, has grown fawn of Lance and now constantly hits on him.  He got to Lance and now Keith thinks Lance likes him more.”

“Does he?”

“No.”  Allura and Shiro said in unison.

“So what’s going to happen?”

“We never know.”  Allura said.  “Those two always make up in the end so we just wait for it to happen.  Soon enough they’ll be back to being our awkward gay boys.”  She smiles.  “Play the waiting game.”

“And Allura is the most impatient person I know so this’ll be fun.”  Shiro said happily.  Allura pinches his ear.

“I question my love for you at times.”  She hisses.  Matt laughs.

“You two are cute.”  He said with a smile.  Allura and Shiro both turn red.  “I’ve gotta go, see you tomorrow Shiro.”  Matt left.  Allura slowly looked at Shiro.

“D-Do you think we’re cute?”

“I thought we were annoying…”

* * *

“No Pidge listen!”  Keith spoke up on the phone.  “What do I do about this?  Lance hates me now!”

“I keep telling you that this isn’t your fault!”  Pidge shouts over the phone.  “Lance was the one who freaked out.  Yes you yelled but in your defense you were sick of Lotor.  Did you have to yell at Lance?  No, but you were just frustrated and jealous.”

“But he hates me!”

“Lance doesn’t hate you, I can tell that he loves you dearly.  You were always important to him!”  Pidge shouts.

“But what if… what if he likes Lotor more than me?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Lotor is way better than I am…”  A moment of silence.

“If you ever say that again then I am going to rip your dick off.”

“JESUS!”

“Keith listen.”  Pidge cuts him off.  “Just tell him how you feel… minus the yelling.”  She said.  “Lance will listen, I know he will.  He’s the type to talk things out rather than fight them out.  I know that you’re the opposite… but clearly your way isn’t working.”  Keith sighs.

“O-Okay, I’ll talk to him.”

“And hey.”  Pidge spoke up again.  “If he doesn’t listen to you then I’ll beat him up.”

“You are weaker than him.”

“He will fear my tiny fists.”  She laughs.  “Love ya man.”

“Thanks Pidge.”  Keith smiles.  “Talk to ya later.”

“Yeah.”  They hung up.  Keith grabs his hoodie and his keys.  He walks outside hoping that this time things would go over well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love cutting things off <3


	41. This is Real

Lance rubs his hair dry and walks out of the bathroom into his room.  He only had a long sleeved shirt and boxers on but he was going to bed soon anyways.  He picks up his glasses on the table and puts them back on his face.  He heard something bang on the door, it was locked so someone must’ve tried opening it since the knocking was so aggressive.

Lance was sure it wasn’t Isabella, she had a key to the house… who the hell was trying to get in?

He opens his window and crawled out onto the roof to get a view of who might be over… he can’t see who’s at the door because the roof is over the deck but he saw the car and knew who was over.

“ _Rendirse, está cerrado._ ”  Lance said loud enough for Keith to hear.  Keith walks down the stairs to look at the roof.  He gave Lance a pitiful look.

“Let me in!”

“Why should I?”  Lance asks.  Keith groans in frustration but he tried to stay calm.  Yelling was what lead to this mess.

“I just… I just wanna talk to you!”

“Sure you do.”  Lance said in a sassy tone.  Keith grabs his head.

“Dammit Lance!”  He shouts.  “Please I’m trying here!”

“Uh huh.”

“Come on!  Unlock the door and let me in!”

“Sorry, no can do.”  Lance said.  “I’m on the roof now.  You can go home.”

“Lance!”  Keith shouts.  “Why won’t you listen to me for a second?!”

“Oh wow, did you seriously just ask that?”  Lance showed his anger.  “Last I checked I tried explaining to you and you fucking yelled at me!  Go be a hypocrite somewhere else.”

“This is ridiculous!”  Keith sighs and walks away.  Lance looks at the stars and thanks whoever was up there that was over.  He heard someone walk out onto the roof, Lance groans.

“How did you get in?”

“Kitchen window.”  Keith said quietly.  He crawls over to Lance and sat next to him.

“I told you to leave.”

“We need to talk.”

“You’re just going to yell at me again!”  Lance wouldn’t look at Keith, he held himself close while Keith thought about what to say.

“Um… I’m sorry…”

“For what?”

“For yelling… I guess…”  Keith looks down.

“Why should I forgive you?”

“Why should I apologize when you were the one who was letting some creep kiss you?”  Keith asks.  “Think about it for a moment.  How do you think I felt when he did that to you and you did nothing?”  Keith asks, he looks down.  “I don’t think I’m at fault this time Lance.”  Lance stopped and thought about it… Keith wasn’t at fault this time… this was all his fault.

Lance hid his face in his knees and refused to look back up.  He was ashamed of himself.

“Lance?”

“J-Just go home.”  He whimpers.  Keith really didn’t want to leave Lance on a roof crying.  “I said go home Keith.”  Keith gulps but held his arms out.  “What are you doing?”  He asks.  Keith looks down.

“Um… hug?”  Keith asks awkwardly.  “Look just come here.”

“No, I don’t deserve you being nice.”  Lance said.  “You were right… I’m horrible.”

“Please let me hug you.”  Keith kept his arms out.

“No.”

“Baby please!”  He sounded desperate.  Lance looks at him with a worried look.  As soon as he looked up Keith grabs him and held him close.  “Let me cradle you dammit.”  He husks out and sat there with Lance in his arms.  Lance sat there in his arms stiff for a moment, but he soon relaxed, clenching onto Keith’s shirt and buried his face in his neck.  He sighs, content in his current state.

“Aren’t you cold?”  Keith asks now noticing what he was wearing.  Lance nods slightly, but he didn’t want to move.  He wanted to stay where he was, in Keith’s arms.  “Come on, le-”

“I wanna stay right here.”  Lance said.

“But you’re co-”

“Just hold me.”  Lance whimpers against Keith’s neck.  Keith hesitated but pulled Lance closer and rests his head against his.  It was kind of nice, it wasn’t so cold out when you have someone right next to you.

This is what Lance wanted, wasn’t it.  One of the things anyways… Keith felt himself smile.  He was getting the hang of this ‘relationship’ thing.  The two sat outside for a while, Keith finally looked at Lance who seemed pretty content.

“We should go back inside.”

“No…”  Lance mutters.  Keith smirks.  He slowly shifts away from Lance, Lance whines in protest.  Keith scoops him up in his arms and carries him inside, Lance’s face was burning.  The two went downstairs, not like Lance had a choice at the moment, and laid down.

“You didn’t have to carry me.”

“Only way to get you inside.”  Keith smiles and held him close.  “This is okay, right?”  He asks.  Lance nods, he cuddled into Keith’s chest and smiles.

“This is fine, just fine.”  Lance closed his eyes and fell asleep.  Keith smiles, Lance has no right to call him cute if this is how he acts.  Keith took Lance’s glasses off his face and conked out as well.

* * *

Lance woke up first, he looked up and saw Keith was still asleep.  He had one arm on Lance while the other dangled on the floor.  Lance smiles and went back to cuddling.  He was enjoying himself.

Keith shifted in his sleep, he rolled over, Lance squeaks as he was being moved as well.  He was pushed against Keith and the back of the couch.  Keith wraps his arms around Lance’s head and one leg around his waist.  He was like a sloth or something.

Lance just curled back into him, nuzzling his face into Keith’s neck.  Isabella walks down hours later and laughs.

“Is one of you awake?”

“Hi.”  Lance stuck his arm out and waves.  Isabella facepalmed still laughing.  She couldn’t see her son at all.

“What the hell… _Es como un perezoso._ ”

“I know.”  Lance groans.  “Keith is a cuddler.”

“Apparently you’re one as well.”  His mom teases him.  Lance ignores her and stayed in his spot.  Isabella giggles and walks off.  Sarah comes down holding Rico’s hand like always.  Sarah saw Keith and sleepily walks over.

“Hi Princess.”  She crawls up and lays with them, Rico joins.  Lance smiles and lets his two siblings cuddle in between them.  Keith woke up a bit due to them worming their way in, he chuckles and hugs them.

“What are you two doing here?”

“Sleepy…”  Sarah said in a tired voice.  Rico nuzzles into Lance and fell back asleep.  Keith looks at Lance giving him a look.  Lance shrugs and rubs Rico’s head.

“There is literally no room now.”  Keith comments as he is literally on the edge of glory.  Lance chuckles and looks over on his side, nothing but cushion.  He couldn’t back up anymore.

“Sorry _Cariño_ , I can’t back up anymore.”  Lance says.  Keith held Sarah close.

“She’ll go down with me.”  He fell off, Sarah does a squeaky little scream and falls off with him.  Lance and Rico look down at them like they were idiots.

“Can you four be loud somewhere else?”  Isabella asks.  “Also Lance, go get Sam down.”

“Aw… _Mamá, es tan pesado._ ”  Lance complains.  She points.

“Go.”  She commands.  Lance grabs his glasses and walks upstairs.  Keith was left on the floor with Sarah, Rico felt left out and flops on the two.  Keith groans as the two kids laugh.  Isabella walks in and smiles.  “Need help _mi hijo_?”  She asks, he nods.

“Please.”  He held his arm out, she grabs it and yanks him up.  The kids giggled still and held onto his legs.  “No!”  He slowly moved around with them on each leg.  “I.  Want.  To.  Move!”  He said in each step he took.

Isabella looks over and claps aggressively.

“ _¡Sarah, rico! Fuera de Keith ahora. ¡Fuera de aquí!_ ”  She shouts.  The two got off quickly, Keith sighs and bows.

“ _Gracias._ Um… I mean thank you…”  He said quickly.  Isabella giggles yet again, she was quite happy that morning.

“Us speaking Spanish must be rubbing off on you.”  She teases, Keith rubs the back of his head.

“Uh… y-yeah.  Heh, if I keep hanging around here I’ll be fluent in Spanish in no time.”  He jokes with her.

“Well you’ll need to know Spanish if you’re going to be in this family.”  She kept teasing him, Keith nods slightly.

“Yeah, I guess I’m going to learn it no matter what.”  He said, Isabella stops her teasing and stares at Keith with a bit of shock.  She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by Sam and Lance arguing.

“I am not a woman, do not hold me bridal style!”

“I got carried like this so shut up!”

“You’re a faggot though!”

“Am not!”

“Are too!”

“God just- Get in your fucking chair!”  Lance drops Sam into his chair and glares, they still argued.

“Don’t do that!”

“Don’t complain about me carrying you down the stairs!”

“You don’t have to carry me like that!”

“Then you can get down here by yourself!”  Lance snaps.  Keith watches them argue with Isabella but he was distracted when his phone went off.  He forgot it was in his hoodie pocket.

He pulls it out and saw Pidge was calling.  He walked down in the laundry room, away from all the arguing and answered.

“Sup nerd.”  He said.

“Hey, how did it go?  Do I need to kick his ass back to Cuba?”

“No you don’t.”

“Ya sure?  I can build a wall around him.”  Pidge teases.  Keith laughs out loud.

“No Pidge… we made up… I think.”

“You think?”  She laughs.  “Well if you’re down for it, you two wanna come over?  Matt’s hanging out with Shiro so I’m free and bored.”

“Dunno, let me ask if Lance is free.”  Keith walks up to Lance who was still arguing with Sam.  “Babe.”  He tugs on Lance’s sleeve, Lance stops and looks at Keith.

“What?”

“Pidge wants to hang out with us, you wanna come over?”

“Get away from him?  Yes.”  Lance nods, he went upstairs to change.  Sam looks at Keith with a smirk on his face.

“What?”  Keith asks.

“Are you and my brother a thing?”  He asks.  Keith looks away embarrassed.

“U-Um…”  Keith’s tongue was tied.  “I-I well I… I mean maybe as in we- we- I don’t- I mean I do- well know… we- it’s- it’s compli-”  He was cut off by Lance grabbing his arm.

“Come on.”  He said.  “Bye Mamá.”  He waves at Isabella.

“Bye sweetie.  Bye Keith.”

“B-Bye Mamá.”  He said quickly.  Isabella’s eyes grew.  As soon as they were out Keith grabs his mouth, his face pure red.  “I did not just say that.  I did not just say that.”  He stutters, Lance laughs.

“You called mi Mamá Mamá!  You called her Mamá!”  He laughs out loud.  “I cannot believe it!”

“S-Shut up!”  Keith shouts.  “I haven’t had a mom in years and your mom treats me like her own kid already!”

“Oh yes she does.”  Lance nods as they walk to his car.  “You are her baby~  She loves you so much.”

“Really?”  Keith asks.

“Yeah, she’s probably planning a wedding for us.”  He teases.  Keith hid his face in the steering wheel, face got even redder.  “Woah Keith!  Are you okay?!”

“I-I’m fine.”  He managed to squeak out.  Lance kept laughing.

“Do you wanna get married?”  Silence.  Keith looked ashamed of himself.  “Woah buddy it’s okay!  I didn’t think you’d wanna get married!”  He kept laughing.

“Shut up.”

“Let’s just focus on dating first.  We can talk about marriage after high school.”  He teased.  Keith groans.

“STOP IT!”  He shouts.  Lance laughs louder.

“Aw I love you so much.”

“I question my love for you.”  Keith hissed.  They drove off, Lance laughing the whole way.

* * *

They pulled up to Pidge’s house.  They saw her parents were hanging out in the kitchen together, they wave.

“Hey.  Oh you’re back Sam?”  Keith asks her father.

“Yes, I came back with Matt.”  He said.  “You’ve grown quite a bit Keith.”  Sam looks at Lance.  “Who’s this?”

“I’m one of your daughter’s friends, names Lance.”  He introduced himself.  Pidge runs down and hops on Lance’s back.

“Hello heartbreaker!”

“Wha?”  Lance was confused.  “Hey we made up!”

“Whatever, you shouldn’t treat Keith like shit!”

“Shut up, we’re on good terms now.  Right?”

“You teased me the whole way here.  Maybe we’re still on bad terms.”  Keith teased him, Lance gawks at him.

“REALLY?!”  Lance asks.  “I teased you about marriage, you didn’t need to get so flustered!”  He points out, Pidge laughs.

“Seriously Keith?”  She asks.  Her parents laughed too.

“Take your time Keith.  You’re still young, marriage can wait.”  Colleen comments.  Keith’s face turned bright red, he runs upstairs into Pidge’s room.  Lance runs after him with Pidge on his back.

The two saw him hiding his face in one of her many pillows, she walks over and pokes him.  He got annoyed.

“We came over so find us something to do!”  He snaps, she backs away.

“Alright alright, fucking calm your tits.”  She hands them wiimotes while she grabs her gamepad.  “We shall all play MarioKart.”  Pidge said happily.  Lance took the wiimote from her and gives her a look.

“You sure?”  He asks.  “You have seriously bad rage when you play this game.”

“Do not.”  She said.  “Come on gays.  Let’s play.”  Keith kicks the back of her head lightly.

“Never say that again.”  He says calmly.  She stuck her tongue out.  They turn it on, they all picked characters.  Pidge went with Isabella for some odd reason, Keith chose Bowser.  Lance looks through.

“Hm… Lakitu!”

“Who the fuck picks Lakitu?”  Both Pidge and Keith ask that.

“I do.”

“No one picks Lakitu, no one played this thought “Aw shucks… I wished Lakitu was a playable character.”.”  Pidge said.

“I swear more people wanted Link more than Lakitu.”  Keith adds on.  Lance glares at them both.

“No one asked for your opinion.”  Lance grumbles at the two.  They pick their cars, Lance picked the cat car again.

“Again Lance?  Screw your gay ass cat car.”

“Fuck off.”  They picked a random track, things were decent at first till they got to the electrodome track.  Things were fine till Keith knocked into Pidge and made her drift the wrong way.

“MOTHER FUCKER!  YOU MADE ME DRIFT THE WRONG WAY!”  She shouts.

“Annnd here were go.”  Lance quietly comments.  Keith laughs, he really did not mean to bump into her but her reaction made him happy he hit her.  She got the star and laughs evilly.

“I’m coming for you!”  She said, she was literally right behind Keith, he noticed she was invincible.

“NO!  NO!  STAY AWAY!”  He screams.  She evilly laughs till she lost her power without hitting him.

“Aw…”  She passed him anyways.  “Bye~”  She sounded way to cocky.  Keith got a block and got a bomb.  He noticed Pidge was ahead of him so he took a chance and threw it.  She screams as it blew up.  Keith drives by her laughing.  He was in first and didn’t know it.

“I’m coming for your ass!”

“No!”  Keith was pushing his body forward as if that would make his kart go faster.  Pidge was evilly laughing again, she was close to him.

“Yes I’m coming, I’m-”  A green shell came out of nowhere and nails her, she screeches.  “NO!!!”  Keith won, he threw his arms in the air.

“YES!!!”  He laughs at her, she glares.

“THAT SHELL SCREWED ME OVER!  My throat hurts now… God what unholy sound did I make?”  She asks Lance.  He was laughing at her rage as well.

They picked another track after they finished that one, they were in the clock stage and all was good till the last lap.  Keith had a blue shell and just threw it without a second thought.

“WHO THREW THAT?!”  Pidge asks.  Keith grew a small smile.  “NO I SAW YOU OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE YOOOOOU BIIIIITCH!”  She shouts as it hit her.  She got second as Lance passed her getting first.  She got right into Keith’s face, he was giggling.

“YOU PROUD OF YOURSELF?!  IS YOU SCREWING ME OVER QUALITY CONTENT?!  HMMMM?!”  She shouts, Keith was dying of laughter.  Lance tried calming her down.

“Come on Pidge…”

“Shut up, you play in a stupid pink cat car with wooden wheels and you’re Lakitu.  Your opinions don’t fucking matter.”

“Ouch.”  Lance mutters.  They played at rainbow road, Keith decided to tease Pidge since he was having such a good time.

“I should just purposely mess with Pidge this round.”

“I will fucking kill you.”  She hisses, Keith giggles and started driving.  Pidge got close to Keith.  “Hello boy~”  She snickers like a witch.  He decided to bump into her playfully, which caused her to fall off.  “KEITH YOU FUCK!”

“Oh.. OH WHOOPS!”  Keith laughs, tears forming out of the corners of his eyes.  “I-I didn’t mean it!  I swear!”

“I’m coming for you!  You’re gonna fucking die!”

“Oh God… no no no!  Move CPU’s, she’s gonna kill me!”  He squeaks.  “I swear, it was an accident.  I didn’t mean for that to happen!”

“YEAH SURE, YOU FUCKING LIAR!”  She shouts.  Keith squeals like a girl and tried leaving her in the dust, she soon caught up.  Meanwhile Lance was singing in twelfth place.

“Hey~  How you doin, I’m doin just fine~  I lied I’m dying inside~”  He sang to himself.  Pidge and Keith flew towards the finish line.

“Hello~”  She snickers again, planning on beating him.  Keith rammed into her.

“Get out of here!”  He kept ramming into her, Keith landed first and leans over again, thinking that was going to make him speed up.

“No… No!  NO!”  Pidge screams.  “NOOOOOOOOOO!”

“WOAH!”  Keith threw his arms up.  Pidge made an unholy noise again.  Keith fell forward, burying his face in the bed and laughed.  His lungs were sore, he was laughing so hard.  Pidge was throwing a fit.  Lance watches it all and sings another song.

“Havin a good time~  Havin a good time~”

“H-Hey… It’s Shiro’s theme song.”  Keith managed to get out.  Lance about bursts into laughter himself.  Pidge turned off the game.

“You two drive me nuts.  I’m playing Breath of the Wild, fuck you two.”  She grumbles.  “Hope you’re fucking happy.”  She hisses at Keith, he fell backwards and curled up into a laughing ball.  He kicks his leg up.

“I’m going to have such strong, healthy lungs~”  He giggles, Pidge threw a pillow at him.

“Go to hell.”  He laughs harder.  Lance grabs a pillow and lays on his stomach, holding the pillow to his chest.  Keith finally calmed down and lays on Lance.

Colleen came in later and hands them snacks.  Pidge refused to share with Keith, Lance grabbed some for him.

“Traitor.”

“He didn’t do anything wrong.”  Lance points out as Keith happily ate the sandwich.  He saw juice pouches and took one with a smile.

“He betrayed my trust.  I can no longer trust him.”

“You can trust him.  Look at him.”  Lance points at Keith who gave him big eyes sipping on the juice pouch.  Pidge glares.

“I don’t care how cute you are Kogane, I can never trust you again!”  She hisses.  He looks at her now and cocks his head to the side.

“You trusted me after the great banana peel incident.”

“Shut up!  We do not speak of that!”  She shouts.  Lance gave her a look.

“I told you you’d rage.  I fucking told you and you didn’t listen.”

“Shut up, I didn’t rage at all.”  She growls.  Keith giggles.  “THIS GUY LIKES BEING A LITTLE BITCH!”

“I love you Pidgey.”  He said between giggles.

“Fuck off.”

* * *

Keith drove Lance home.  He still seemed way too happy about pissing Pidge off.  Lance sighs and leans back.

“I knew that wasn’t going to end well.”  Lance comments.  He watched as the sun was setting.  Keith looks at him and smiles.

“What are you talking about?  That was fun.”

“For you.”  Lance pokes him.  He quickly kisses Keith.  “Love ya.”

“Y-Yeah…”  He nods, Lance rolls his eyes and left the car.  He knew Keith wasn’t going to say I love you back but they were improving.  Keith seems more comfortable about their relationship now so that’s a plus.  However Keith was still awkward, but Lance wouldn’t want Keith any other way.

Lance walks into his home and sees his siblings chasing eachother around.  He watches in annoyed confusion and horror.

“W-What did I stumble into?”

* * *

The school week was going by nicely.  Pidge would non stop talk about Matt and how happy she was to have him back.  They’d stay up and watch scary movies or anime, then play games.  She wishes he’d stop hanging out with Shiro so much but to be fair they haven’t seen each other lately and they were best friends.

Hunk would listen with little interest, but since he was a good guy he’d pretend to care.  Lance would talk to her as well, basically about having siblings and the difference between being and older sibling and a younger sibling.

Keith would try to speak up but Pidge would remind him of his betrayal.  Which would cause him to laugh, and he had a precious laugh so Pidge had a hard time being mad at him.

What made the group so different though was Lance and Keith were more comfortable showing they were dating.  Keith would lean on Lance and read “Frankenstein” to him since it was the last book they needed to read and analyze.  Lance would sneak behind Keith in the locker room and hug him causing the men around them to be uncomfortable.  They’d walk close together in the hallways, and sometimes hold hands.

It was worse for Lance at home, his mother wouldn’t shut up about how she was so happy he and Keith were finally dating.  Sarah squeals in joy and said that their relationship was like a fairy tale that came true as long as Lance didn’t put his tongue in Keith’s mouth again.  Sam just said “Finally.”  And Rico was just happy that Lance and Keith were happy.

Friday afterschool Lance helped Sam off the bus and pushed him home.  He looks up at his brother and finally asked.

“So have you two been on any dates yet?”

“Hm?”  Lance looks down at Sam.  “What do you mean?”

“You know… dates.  Have you two gone out?”

“Of course.”

“I mean without your friends Lance, just the two of you.”  Sam said.  Lance’s eyes widened.

“Oh my God… we haven’t.  We’ve always hung out as a group… Keith and I have never been on an actual date before!”

“Seriously?!  Have you even gotten permission to take him out?!”

“No!  Oh this is bad… this is real bad!”

“You’re telling me!”  Sam snaps.  “You’ve got to go ask his brother if it’s okay to take him out!  Tell him that you really love him and you won’t abandon him for anything.”

“I-I don’t know.  They do things differently in America, do you think they’ll judge me for asking?”  Lance asks.

“Who cares!  You know how big of a deal romance is in Cuba!  Men are horrible unless they prove that they’re serious about it.  Remember what Mamá told us?  She said if you find someone you love you ask their parents if you can date them.”

“Oh God, you’re right.  I-I’ll ask tonight!”

“Hell yeah!”  Sam cheers.  They walk home.

* * *

Keith and Allura got back from the cafe, both worn out.  Keith wasn’t too happy that Lotor came back but since Lance decided not to show up he didn’t stay long.  Thank God.  Keith cracks his back as he got inside.

“I’m going to bed.”

“Okay, night Keith.”

“Night.”  He walks into his room and shuts the door behind him.  Allura sat in the chair next to the couch.  Shiro who was watching old TV shows, had taken up the whole couch.  He had no interest in the show he was watching but nothing else was on.  Allura sighs and leans back in the chair she was in.

“Soooo tired.”

“Hm…”

“What did you do all day?”

“Hung out with Matt.”

“Did that go well?”

“He kept telling people we were a couple and our ship name was “Shatt”.”  Allura laughed.

“Is that how he normally acts?  Cause if not, I am not sharing you.”

“Uh huh.  That’s how Matt usually acts.  He likes making a joke about everything.  He’s lucky I stayed with him for thirteen years.”

“Friends will tell you it’s raining.  True friends will offer you an umbrella.”  She starts.  Shiro chuckles and finishes it.

“A best friend will take yours and shout “run”.”  The two laughed.  It was interrupted by a soft knock on the door.  Shiro got up.  “Who could that be?”  He walks over and opens it, Lance was at the door looking nervous and shy.  “Oh hey Lance.”

“Hi… can I come in?”

“Keith is asleep.”

“Good… cause I’m here to talk to you and Allura actually.”  Lance admits.  “I don’t want him to hear this.”  Shiro gave a confused look but gestures Lance in.  The Cuban walks in slowly and kicks at the carpet on the floor.  He notices Black walk on the back of the couch and stares him down.  Wondering who the strange human was and why he was invading his kingdom.

“So what do you want?”  Shiro asks leaning against the wall folding his arms across his chest.  Lance could tell Keith got a lot of his attitude and posture from Shiro despite not being blood related.  Keith must really look up to him for that to rub off.

“Um…”  Lance broke out of that thought and remembered why he was there in the first place.

“How did you find our apartment?”  Allura asks interrupting his train of thought yet again.  “We never told you where we lived.”

“Oh um… Sarah and Rico.  They told me the apartment building and the number.”

“How smart are those two?”  Allura asks Shiro, he shrugs.

“A-Anyways… I have something to ask you.”  Lance looks down.  Shiro and Allura were waiting.  “Is it okay for me to take Keith on a date?”  He asks, the two fell silent.

Was he seriously asking for permission to take his boyfriend on a date?  Shiro and Allura look at each other then back at Lance.  The Cuban looks at them desperately, almost like he was begging them to say it was okay.  Shiro clears his throat.

“Um… may I ask why?”

“B-Because we’re dating and-”

“Why are you asking?”

“Oh that…”  Lance felt embarrassed.  “In Cuba men usually don’t take their relationships seriously and all.  Some men in my country are trying to show that they want to be in a serious relationship by doing random things… mi Mamá told Samuel and I that if we ever wanted to take a girl, or boy, out we have to ask their parents to show that we’re serious about being in a relationship with them.”  Lance said quietly.

Shiro and Allura look at each other and nod, it was just another cultural thing for Lance so they decided to go along with it.

“Yes Lance.”

“Yes?”

“You can take Keith out on a date.”

“Really?”  His eyes lit up, he hugs Shiro.  “Oh thank you thank you thank you thank you!  I’ve got to go tell mi Mamá!  I wanna take him out tomorrow night okay?  Kay!  Night you two.”  He runs off.  Shiro shuts the door and slowly walks over to Keith’s door.  He looks at Allura and puts a finger on his lips as he opens Keith’s door.  Keith falls out of his room and lands on the floor.

“I guess you have a date tomorrow night~”  Shiro teases.  Keith quickly got up and shuts the door behind him.

“SHUT UP!”  He screams in embarrassment.  He cannot believe he overheard that, Lance wanted to take him out.  An actual date, his first date.  Oh God this cannot be real.  But it is, he was going on his first date with Lance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Sings* Oh how I love to cut it off! Oh oh! Oh how I love to leave ya hanging~ SING IT WITH ME EVERYBODY!


	42. Date Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you all go! The chapter you've all wanted~  
> I'm glad you like the story it makes me so happy! I'm glad you all like it even though it's so long.

“Oh this looks cute!  And so does this!  Hey this blue will bring out your eyes!”  Lance regrets asking now.  Cause Saturday morning Allura drags Lance out to go shopping for clothes to wear on the date tonight.  She was looking around excitingly trying to find what looked best on Lance while he stood there awkwardly.

“Allura can we-”

“How about this!”  She held a loose top up to him to see if it would look good.  “Hm… no... too dark, maybe a lighter grey.”

“Allura that’s a top for women.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s a loose crop top with the shoulders cut out.  See?”  He points at it.  She finds a lighter grey one and held it up to him.  She smiles.

“Perfect!”

“No.”

“Relax sweetie, you’ll wear a shirt under it.”  Allura looked around for a shirt to go under.  Lance was practically suffering.  The funny thing is he loves shopping for clothes.  Finding stylish things that made him look good.  Difference here is that this is for a date and it’s making him feel awkward.

“Oh how about this!”  Allura held up a sleeveless black turtleneck.  It looked like it was skin tight.

“Another shirt for women?”

“No, Keith has one like this.”  She points out.  “Come on let’s find some pants.”

“I have pants Allura!”  Lance whines.

“No you are not wearing your dirty jeans on this date.  We’ll find you new ones.”

“Allura!”

“No complaining, come on.”  She walks off, Lance follows behind.  He pouts as they look through different pants.

“This would be a whole lot easier if I just wore my-”

“No.”  That didn’t work.  Lance waited for her to find something.  She held up a pair of sky blue skinny jeans.  Lance was gonna die.

“Those are skinny jeans.”

“Yep.”

“I can’t wear those!”

“Yes you can.”

“No I- Allura those will crush everything below the waist and I value everything down there!”

“Keith does too, yet he wears these kinds of jeans almost everyday.”  Allura said as she walks to the shoes.  Lance has noticed that Keith does wear skinny jeans practically everyday, Lance had to admire that.  He saw he was losing sight of Allura and ran after her.

“Okay where are some sexy shoes…”  She mutters to herself.  Lance heard that.

“Why sexy of all things?!”

“Because you’re sexy, that’s why.”

“I am?”  Lance blushed slightly.

“That slim, curvy body plus those long legs.  Sweetie you are a hottie.”  Allura said.  Lance had to admit being called hot by a goddess like Allura was awesome, made him feel better about himself.  “I can kind of see what Lotor saw in you.”

“Uh huh… you know...I never knew you had a gay cousin.  No wonder you’re so accepting.”

“Bi.”

“What?”

“Lotor is bi Lance, just like you.”  Allura said.  “Now lets forget about him.  We’ve got to make you look good for this date.”  She held a pair of black boots up.  They walked towards the changing rooms.

After some struggling and cursing at Allura he finally got it on, Allura abouts squeals and nods.

“Yes.  Yes that is it!”  She says.  “Take that off so I can pay for it.”

“No Allura, if you like it then I’ll buy it.  Don’t waist your-”

“Hush boy, I’m buying.  Now strip and let’s get moving.”  She commands.  Lance groans again.  He was so done with Allura.

* * *

“NO!  I REFUSE!”  Keith runs off into the apartment.

“Come on Keith…”  Shiro follows after him, Matt right behind holding new clothes he bought him.  “You want to look good, right?”

“Of course but-”

“Then just trust us.”  Shiro said.  “It’s not like we’re going off and cutting your hair, we’re just going to put it up in a ponytail.”  Shiro explained.

“I don’t wanna!”  Keith hissed.  “I’m gonna look like a girl!”

“What you get for having long hair.”  Shiro points out.  Matt looks at him.

“It’s a mullet.”  He corrects.

“I don’t care Matt.”  Shiro grabs Keith and yanks him back.

“NO!”

“Quit acting like a child Keith.”  Shiro brushes through Keith’s hair, Keith grumbles.  He tried taking the brush from his brother.

“I can- I can do it myself!  Shiro!  Give. Gimme the brush!”  Keith gave up in about a minute and waited for Shiro to finish.  Soon enough Keith’s hair was pulled back.  He looked at it in the mirror, he was shocked that he still looked like a boy.

He flips his head to the side to get a better view of it.  It was short and still fluffed around, he smiles at it.

“This isn’t so bad.”

“Uh huh.”  Shiro nods.  “Now Matt and I picked these out for you.  Go get changed.”

“Wait now?”

“It’s five o clock Keith, we’ve been chasing your for an hour.”  Shiro points out.  Keith takes the bag from Matt and walked into his room.  Shiro got a text from Allura saying that they were ready and heading back towards the cafe.  Shiro panics and looks at Keith’s door.

“Come on Keith, Allura said they were ready.”

“Shut up, you shouldn’t worry about this.”

“But I must!”  Shiro shouts dramatically.  “This is my baby brother’s first date, oh our parents would have been so proud of you~”

“Oh my God Shiro!”  Keith whines.  He opens the door showing off his outfit.  He wore a red t-shirt with the collar and sleeves outlined in black, dark black skinny jeans with a grey belt for fashion and his normal sneakers.  He gave Shiro a look that asked ‘are you impressed?’ and waits for a response.

“Nice.”  He smirks.  “Come on, let’s get down to the cafe before Allura does.  They walked out of the apartment.

* * *

Keith held himself close, he was feeling so awkward.  Well it was his first date so that was natural but… what if Lance thinks he doesn’t look good?  What if it goes wrong?  What if he messes up?  Oh God he’s gonna mess up, he’s gonna-

“I see them.”  Shiro points.  “Matt and I are gonna go into the cafe.  Have fun.”

“W-Wait!”  Keith wants his brother to come back, be moral support dammit!  Allura runs up to Keith and kisses his cheek.

“Have fun sweetie.”  She says then whispers in his ear.  “I made sure to make him look real good for you~”  With that she walks into the cafe.  Keith had no clue what she was planning but looks over and sees Lance smiling right at him.

He walks over and bends slightly, looking up at Keith playfully.

“Hey Cutie~”  He said in his usual lovely voice.  Keith’s face blew up in a shade of red.  Allura did a damn good job with the outfit.  He wore a tight sleeveless black turtleneck which was covered by a loose grey shirt that exposed his shoulders and cuts off at his midriff.  He had on blue skinny jeans that practically hugged his body and black boots to go with it.

Keith took a deep breath and managed to squeak out.

“H-Hi… you look… um, good.  You look good.”

“Heh, thanks.”  Lance laughs.  “So do you  _ Cariño _ .”  He held his hand out.  “Come on, let’s go.”

“O-Okay.”  Keith takes his hand and the two walked off, the three adults that left them squealed like idiots as they saw the two disappear in the distance.  Finally Matt spoke up.

“This is kind of sad actually.”

“Do you want to ruin the moment?”  Shiro asks.

“No.”  They continued to squeal.

* * *

“So what are we doing?”  Keith asks.  Lance looks over at him.

“Well I thought since we both don’t know what’s in this city we live in, we could explore it and see what’s here.”  Lance said.  “That’s okay right?”  Keith nods happily.

“Yeah, I like that idea.”

“Cool.”  The two walked around for awhile and noticed how many things there were to do in the main city area.  How could these two have not noticed all the cool stuff that happens around them?  Hell Keith has been living in the city for nearly seven years and has never seen this side of the city.

“Keith look!”  Lance points at an indoor mini golf course.  “Wanna go play?”

“I don’t know anything about golf…”

“That’s okay, I suck at it.  So it’ll be fun!”  Lance pulls him inside.  Keith looks at all the neon paintings and golf track that practically lit up the entire building.  Also techno music quietly plays in the background… or maybe it’s loud but the teens in the building were louder.

Lance comes back and hands Keith a bright yellow club and a green neon golf ball.  Lance had a blue club and an orange golf ball.

“What’s with all the neon colors?”  Keith asks.  Lance looks around and shrugs.

“I guess it’s the theme of the place.  All mini golf courses have a theme.”  Lance said.  “Like back in my old home town… in America, not Cuba, there was an old western theme and it had square dance music play all the time.”  Lance said happily.  “So you see?  Different themes.”

“Why do we get a neon theme here though?”

“Cause we live in a big city Keith, majority of people here might like a club setting more than a western one.”  Lance said.  “Come on, this is the first one.”  Lance hits it lightly and it almost made it in.  Keith tried and the ball rolls right back to him.  He stares it down.

“What the fuck was that?”  He asks, Lance covered his mouth trying not to laugh.

“Sweetie… you didn’t hit it hard enough…”  Lance managed to squeak out.  Keith hits it a little harder and it bounces over the hole.  Lance was curled over laughing.

“Bull.”  Keith points out.  Lance was still laughing.  “No, fuck that.  This thing is fucking rigged!”

“It’s a game Keith.”

“I play to win!”

“Oh God it’s Pac-Man all over again.”  Lance walks over to his ball and hits it in the hole.  “Yay!”  Keith walks over and hits it in.  “Good, next course.”  The two walk to the next one, it had a bump in the middle.

Lance’s ball went over it and made it in the hole.

“Hole in one!”  Lance cheers.  Keith hits his and it rolls right back.  He points at it.

“Okay fuckboy, this is how this is gonna go.  I hit you and you roll your ass over there!”  He was threatening a golf ball.  Only hole two and he was done, Lance couldn’t hold in his laugher.  “Get over the stupid hill!”  Keith hits it off the course, he throws his arms up.

“I quit.”

“Keith!”  Lance laughs and walks up to him.  “Come back, please.”

“No I quit.  This is bullshit.”

“Sweetie it’s for fun.”

“Fuck fun, I play to win!”  Keith hisses.

“It’s only hole number two, we have sixteen more to go.”

“SIXTEEN?!”

“Yeah.”  Lance nods.  “Come on it’ll become more challenging and fun, trust me.”

“No.”  Keith looks away.

“Please  _ Cariño _ ?”  Lance begs, giving Keith big eyes.  “Just one round of mini golf?  Than we can leave and never come back.”

“Don’t stare at me like that Lance.”

“But Sweetheart!”

“Stop it Lance.”

“One round?”

“FINE!”  Keith grabs his stuff and hits it in the hole.  “One stupid game.”  Lance skips behind him all giddy and happy.  They got to a glowing windmill and Keith gave a look that said ‘seriously?’ which made Lance giggle.

“What kind of bullshit is this?”

“Just go Keith.”  Lance said between giggles.  Keith hits the ball, the ball got blocked by the windmill.  Keith grabs the ball and tries again, it again got blocked.  After the third time Keith fucking lost it.

“FUCK THIS GAME!”  He threw his club down.  “FUCK THIS WINDMILL!  FUCK THE NEON SHIT AROUND ME, AND FUCK THE PEOPLE WHO FIND THIS SHITTY GAME FUN!”  He shouts, he began to breath and calm down.  Everyone looked at him, some random people but others clung to each other in fear.

They wondered why Keith was there, they were not safe anywhere.  People began to whisper and point at him.  Keith notices and then felt bad, yeah he was ruining it wasn’t he…  He ruined it and it was the first fucking thing they did that night.  He fucked up.

Lance bursts out laughing.

“S-Sweetie!  That was hilarious!”  Lance couldn’t stop laughing, Keith looks at him in shock.  Lance was practically crying he was laughing so hard.  Keith walks towards him and tried to calm him down.

“I-I’m not ruining it?”

“WHAT?!”  Lance shouts.  “Keith no, you’re not ruining anything.”

“But I got mad… and now everyone is staring at us.”  Keith points out.  Lance looks around at everybody staring at them.

“Huh, so they are.”  Lance said.  “But forget them, they aren’t the ones hanging out with you right now.  It’s just us.”

“What I did was okay with you?”  Keith asks.  Lance nods.

“You’re just raging Keith, it’s okay.  I know when you get mad you tend to blow up, and you can get mad real easily.”  Lance hands him his club back.  “So I really don’t mind.”

“Okay.”  Keith nods, still unsure if Lance was lying or not.  Lance kisses his forehead and hands him his golf ball again.

“Try again  _ Cariño _ .”  Lance said happily.  Keith lightly hits the ball, it made it through that time.

“Hey I did it!”

“There ya go… now wait for me to get over.”  Lance tried and he messed up way more than Keith did.  Keith was surprised Lance could easily laugh it off.  He finally got over and Lance sighs happily.  Keith had to ask him.

“How did you not get mad?”

“I didn’t see a reason to.  I know that the windmill was going to fuck me over.  So I just let it roll off like usual.”

"You just… let it slide?”

“Uh huh.”  Lance nods happily.  Keith looks down.

“That’s… amazing.”

“It’s just who I am Keith.”  He hits his ball in.  “Come on we’re almost done!”

“Thank God.”  The two kept playing, and raging, till the last hole.  They fucked it over badly but as soon as they were done Keith practically ran out.  Lance picked up the two golf clubs and hands them back to the front.  He ran after Keith.

“Keith stop running!”

“Fuck mini golf!”  Keith shouts.  Lance caught up to him and hugs him from behind.  Both out of breath, Lance couldn’t find the course anywhere.  They must’ve ran far from the place.  Lance looks around.

“Now I have no clue where we are.”

“Huh.”  Keith said the first thing that popped into his mind.  “I guess that means more exploring for us.”  The two look around, Lance points in shock.

“Oh my God we have a Chuck E. Cheese!”

“We are not going in there.  That place is for kids.”

“I’M A KID!”  Lance runs in, Keith groans and follows his boyfriend.  Keith was immediately hit with the stench of cheese and shit that kids left around.  It was gross, but Lance didn’t seem to notice the stench.  “Let’s look around!”

“No, this is for kids Lance.”  Keith said.  Lance saw a ball pit, he immediately ran over and jumped in it.  “LANCE!”  Keith runs over and looks in it.  “God dammit Lance, get out of the ball pit.  You don’t know what sick shit is in there.”

Lance emerged only to pull Keith in with him.  Keith felt sick being in the ball pit.  Who still has a ball pit and why do people consider this gross death trap fun?  Why does Lance think this thing is fun?  He could hear him laughing, he was having a great time.

“Gotcha~”

“I do not want to be in here, I will catch fucking aids I swear.”  Keith clung to Lance looking around in horror.

“You will not, jeez  _ Cariño  _ you’re overreacting.  It’s just a ball pit.”

“It’s a death trap.”  Keith said in a scared voice.  Lance just held him closer and kept Keith in the “death trap” which was just a Chuck E. Cheese ball pit.  They heard shuffling around them and finally a kid found the two.  A pre-teen boy who gave them a disgusted look.

“Ew… fucking fags.”

“Hell yeah we are!”  Lance said happily, he began to laugh.  The kid threw a ball at the two.

“HEY!”  Keith threw another ball at him.  The kid and Keith got into a fight.  Lance hops out and shouts.

“BALL PIT FIGHT!”  All the kids jump out and began to throw balls at each other, one kid tacked Lance in while Keith kept fighting the boy and his friends.  Some random kids joined in when they saw the chaos.  This lasted a good ten minutes before an employee told them to knock it off.  Lance pops back up with a little girl on his back.

“Joy killer.”  He said.  All the kids nod in agreement.  “We play like we want to!  VIVA LA BALL PIT!”  All the kids cheer with him.  Keith had to drag Lance out of the Chuck E. Cheese before he started a child revolution in there.  “I WILL BE BACK!”

“Knock it off Lance.”  Keith felt embarrassed that he knew this guy… and was currently dating him.  Oh God so this is how Shiro feels when Allura does this shit.  Then again those two are both childish in their own right.

Lance grabs Keith’s arm again and looks around.

“Now what?”  He asks happily, Keith shrugs.

“Dunno.  I had to wrestle five kids in a diseased ridden ball pit so I’m kind of hungry.”

“Okay, lets see what’s around here.”  He looks around happily.  “How about… damn a lot of these places are bars.”

“I’m sure normal people are age have a place to go.  I mean I always overhear them talking about places to eat and stuff like that.  So there has got to be something around here.”  Keith looks around with Lance to find somewhere to eat.  The two didn’t recognize anything and most places were bars.

“I see a McDonalds.”  Keith points at it, Lance laughs.

“Heh, how romantic.”

“You got anything better?”

“... McDonalds it is.”  The two walk to the McDonalds and saw it wasn’t busy, the only people there were a group of teenagers in a club and some elderly people with coffee and ice cream.  The two looked at the menu trying to read it, it changed on them.  “Wait- no!”  Lance whines.

Keith laughs at his boyfriend and his horrid reading skills.

“Can I help you guys?”  The cashier asks.  The two could tell that this person was completely done with everyone and everything due to their tone and fake smile.  They completely understood, dealing with annoying customers could push someone to their limits.

“Give us a minute.”  Lance said.

“Tell me when you’re ready.”  She sighs and walks off.  Keith kept reading the menu.

“What do you want?”  He asks.  Lance whimpers.

“The menu keeps changing, I can’t read that fast!”

“Are you seriously telling me you can’t read “Big Mac” in two seconds or less?”  He asks, Lance gave him a sad look.

“ _ ¡El inglés no es mi primer idioma! _ ”  He whines, Keith raises an eyebrow.

“Again I have no idea what you’re saying.”  Keith said.  “Though since I heard  _ el inglés _ , I’m gonna guess you just said you have a harder time with english.”

“It isn’t my first language!  I said English isn’t my first language!”  Lance whines.  Keith rolls his eyes, a small smile plastered on his face.

“Whatever, what are you getting?”

“I guess chicken nuggets, since that’s what I usually since I can’t read this fucking menu!”  Lance snaps.  “What about you?”

“I’ll get a quarter pounder.”  Keith points, Lance looks at him.

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah.”

“A quarter pounder?”  Lance asks.  Keith looks at the menu then back at Lance.

“Can I have some of your nuggets?”

“How much can you eat Sweetie?”  He asks, Keith shrugs.

“A bit.”

“A quarter pounder and some nuggets is not “a bit”.”  Lance points out.  Keith stares him down.

“Can we get a twenty piece?”

“Are you serio- Fine… I’ll buy a twenty piece and your fucking sandwich.”  Lance got his card out and walks to the counter.  The cashier runs back to take their order.  After ordering, and forcing Keith to talk, they got their order down.  Lance looks behind the cashier.

“Oh my gosh!  Ice cream!”  Lance squeals, the cashier looks back.

“You want a cone?”

“Yes!”

“What flavor?”  They ask.  Lance looks at the cashier in shock.

“There’s more than one flavor?”

“Chocolate, vanilla, and twist.”  They smiled.  “What would you like?”

“Who says no to twist?”  Lance asks teasingly, that got the cashier to smile.

“Well you are not wrong.”  The cashier’s tone was the same as Lance’s.  Keith glares at the two, he didn’t like how Lance started using that flirtatious tone on the cashier, and the cashier is going along with it.  He pouts and watches them.  The cashier looks at Keith.

“Is your boy okay?”  They ask, Lance looks over.  He sighs and smacks Keith’s head.

“Stop being jealous.”  He said, Keith grabs his hand and stuck to Lance’s side like glue.  “That’s all…”  Lance sighs, the cashier smiles.

“Okay, you using a card?”

“Yes.”  Lance held it up.  He pays and the cashier hands him their number.

“You two are cute.”  They said with a smile.  “It’s good to have someone like that, someone who’ll protect you.”  That got Lance to look away embarrassed.

“I-I guess.”  Lance said.  The cashier made his cone and hands it to him, that got Lance to smile.  “Yay!”  He took it and smiles, Keith stares at it.  “Wanna lick?”

“I can’t have that.”

“Oh right.”  Lance said.  “More for me.”  Lance smiles and ate his ice cream, Keith still kept staring at it.

“Um… maybe a little?”  He finally squeaks out.  Lance looks at him.  He held out the cone with a smile, Keith takes a small lick.  As soon as he pulls away Lance covered his mouth giggling.  “What?”  He gave big confused eyes.

He had chocolate ice cream on his nose.  The cashier walks over and hands them a napkin.  Lance took it and wipes Keith’s nose off, Keith scruffs up and pulls away.

“Neh!  What are you doing?”  He asks in a cold tone.  Lance showed Keith the napkin, giggling slightly.

“You had ice cream on your nose.”  He said, Keith felt beyond embarrassed.  He hid his face, trying to look mad.  That made Lance laugh.  “You trying to act mad Keith?”  He asks.  “I can tell you’re embarrassed ya know.”  Lance tilts his head to get a good look at Keith’s face.

Keith said nothing, he stayed looking down.  Lance saw their food was done and he took the tray.

“Come on Keith, where do you wanna sit?”  He asks.  Keith walks down to the farthest booth and sat down.  Lance follows and puts the tray down.  Lance took the two cups and hands one to Keith.

“You want something to drink or...”  Keith took it without saying a word.  The two walk to the soda fountain and looked through.  Keith got a coke and looks at Lance who was mixing Fanta and Mello Yellow.

“What the fuck?”

“Fuck you, this is awesome.”  Lance puts a lid on the cup and walks back to the booth.  Keith follows behind.  The two started eating, though Keith felt a little awkward.  “What’s wrong?”  Lance noticed.

“Huh?”  Keith looks at him.  “It’s just that… well it’s just us.”  He explained.  “We sit in a booth at school with Hunk and Pidge.  They usually sit on one side and we sit together on the other.  I guess us sitting like this alone is just weird.”

“I see what you’re getting at.”  Lance nods slowly.  “But don’t you think it’d be weirder if Hunk and Pidge were with us?”  He asks.  Keith chuckles a bit.

“Yeah… yeah that’d be weirder.”  The two laughed.  Lance hands Keith his ranch cups and started a conversation to see if Keith would talk back.

“So I was thinking about visiting Sarah to see her dance class.”  He said.  Keith looks at him, he smiles.

“Are you going to show up a bunch of eight year olds?”  He asks.  Lance laughs.

“No.  I wanna go see her dance.  Sarah loved dance so much, hell all of us did.  We just couldn’t because of that freak.”  He said, Keith raised an eyebrow.

“All?”

“All… oh yeah.  When Rebecca was little she wanted to be in dance classes.  So Mamá signed her up and Mamá loved seeing her only daughter in.  However one day I ran into her class and copied her.  The teacher told mi Mamá that I should be in classes too.  So Rebecca and I were in dance together.”

“Well that didn’t go over well with you know who but he got over it.  It drove him nuts when Sam asked to join.”  Lance about laughed, Keith did.

“Sam was in dance classes?!”

“Uh huh.  Later on Sarah joined.  Sadly we moved to America and left our favorite classroom and teacher.”  Lance said.  “But we found a new class to be in, Sarah and I stayed in while Sam stopped.  I think it was because Antonio was bullying Sam and I.  I told Sam time and again that if he loved it he shouldn’t give it up.”

“But he did.”  Lance sighs.  “Sarah and I loved it, we danced together all the time.  Rebecca came in and danced with us too, she was trying to catch up with High School so she quit classes, but didn’t stop her from dancing with us whenever she had the chance.”  Lance picks at his food.  “Then we got locked up in our house and couldn’t dance anymore.”

“Hell he blamed dancing for making me bi.”  Lance laughs.  “Like that’s how it works.”

“That’s not how it works?”  Keith jokes with him, Lance gave him a look, still laughing.

“You are one of the most masculine men I know.  Strong, loves weapons, and you scare anyone and everyone.  Now explain how those things made you gay.”

“I was joking Lance.”

“I know you were.”  The two kept laughing.  “But yeah I want to go see Sarah dance.”  Lance looks outside.  “How many more months till graduation?”

“Why do you want to know?”  Keith asks.

“Just curious.”  Lance said.  Keith counts.

“April … May… well counting this month it’s only three.”

“YES!”  Lance cheers.  He puts his hands together as to pray.  “I’m gonna do it Rebecca!  I’m gonna do it!”

“Why are you so happy about graduating?”

“Because I’ll be the first kid in my family to graduate High School!”  Lance said happily, Keith was surprised.

“You’re siblings never finished High School?”  He asks.  Lance nods happily.  Keith couldn’t believe his ears, how could someone not finish?  “Rebecca seemed so smart though… can’t believe she didn’t finish school.”

“To her family mattered more than school.”  Lance said.  “Antonio dropped out, and Rebecca wanted to work to help with us.  One day after work she got in my face and told me that I will stay in school and I will graduate.  Saying that I was too smart to quit… such a fucking liar.  Guess that’s one thing we had in common.”  Lance laughs again, Keith raised an eyebrow.

“You’re smart.”

“Hm?”  Lance looks.  “No Keith.  I can barely read-”

“English isn’t your first language Lance, doesn’t help that you have a mental illness that makes it more difficult.”  Keith explained.  “Also I don’t think someone's intelligence should be judged by how much schooling they’ve had.  I mean look at me.”

“If you’re gonna call yourself dumb-”  Lance starts, Keith smirks.

“I’ve never taken an honors class in my life, and I suck at math, not to mention I’m a horrible kid in general.  Yet I have been on the honors list and have always been ranked as one of the smartest kids in school.  That’s why the school puts up with me.”

“That explains so much.”  Lance said.  Keith kept smiling sweetly.  “You’re like a devil, you just do what you want and you’ll receive mild punishment.”

“No I don’t do whatever I want… okay maybe I do.  I mostly hurt people who annoy me.”

“So everyone?”

“Yes.”  That quick answer got Lance to laugh.

“Well thanks to that attitude of yours we met and look where we are.”  Lance gave a sweet smile.  “My cute, violent boyfriend~”

“I’m not cute.”

“Oh yes you are.  You’re so soft and innocent.   _ Mi Cariño. _ ”  Lance teased, Keith looks down again.

“How can you say that without feeling embarrassed?”

“Cause I like complimenting you.  You get so red and look away from me, it makes you cuter.”  Lance kept teasing.

“I am not cute.”

“Yes you are, you’re being cute right now.”

“Stop it.”

“Make me.”

“Finish eating so we can get out of here.”  Keith pouts.  Lance looks down at their food, half the twenty piece was gone and the quarter pounder.  All that’s left was Lance’s food and his share of fries.

“ _ ¡Santo cielo, Keith! _ ”  Lance said in shock.  “You piggy!”

“Oink.”  The two started to laugh again.  The two finished and walked out.  They kept looking around to find something else to do that night.  Lance looks at him and held his hand.

“Okay I’ve picked all night now it’s your turn.”

“What?”  Keith looks at him.

“Pick Sweetie.  What do you want to do tonight?”  Lance asks.  Keith looks down and kicks at the ground.

“I don’t want to go somewhere you don’t like.”

“I took you to mini golf and dragged you in a ball pit.  You deserve to do something you like.  So pick.”  Lance said.  Keith looked around and points.

“There.”  He points at a sign where Lance could only see SKA.  Lance looks at Keith.

“What is it?”

“Come on!”  Keith drags Lance in.  “I never get to go here because all of our classmates go here and I kept getting stared at.”  Keith sounded too excited.  They ran into the building.  He walks up to the teenager behind a glass window.

“HellEEEK!”  She screams when Keith walks up.  Lance came forward.

“Calm down!”  Lance said.  “Where are we?”

“Um… skating rink?”

“Skating?  You wanted to skate?”  Lance asks, Keith nods slightly.  He ducks his head in shame.  “Okay then two please.”  Lance said, she looks away.

“You can’t pay with a card sir.”  She said, obviously not wanting Keith in.  Keith walks up and hands her two twenties.

“We also want to rent skates.”  He said quietly.  She took the money and quickly checked to see if it was fake.  Lance sighs at what he was seeing.

“Sweetie we don’t have to stay here.”

“But I want to skate.  I haven’t skated in forever.”  Keith said.

“But they’re treating you like a-”  
“Lance it’s okay.”  Keith said.  “This isn’t the first time I’ve been treated like this.”  Lance gave Keith a sad look.  The girl at the counter hands Lance the two tickets to rent skates and hits a buzzer.  Lance jumped at the sound.

“That means we can go in, the door is unlocked.”  Keith said and lead Lance in.  The Cuban saw how old school the rink was, it looked so… eighties?  Lance couldn’t tell.

Keith lead Lance to the renters rack and a young man helps them.

“How’s life… ey Kogane!  Haven’t seen you in forever!”

“Hi.”  He waves.  “Seven mens size.”

“Got it, you?”  He asks Lance.  Keith whispers in his ear.

“Get a size larger than your actual shoe size.”

“Oh um… nines men size.”

“Got it.”  He hands the two a pair of old brown skates with the number on the back indicating the size.  Lance looks at the long ass laces.  How do you not trip over them.

Keith had already slipped the skates over his feet and ties them tight.  He watched as Lance struggled to get the skate on over his jeans, Keith would’ve helped if he wasn’t distracted by Lance’s legs.

“Help me.”  Lance whines, breaking Keith out of the spell.

“Okay, hold on to the seat and kick.  Your foot should slide in.”  Keith said, Lance nods and forced his foot in.  Surprisingly the skate was comfortable.  Keith took Lance’s laces and wrapped them around the skate then tied them in the front.  They got the other skate on and Lance tried to stand.

He about fell over.

“NOT STABLE!”  His legs felt like they couldn’t hold them.  Keith laughs.

“Duh you’re on wheels dum dum.”  He grabs Lance’s arms and slowly moves him forward.  Lance freaks out.

“I’M GONNA FALL!”

“I’ve got ya.”  Keith skates backwards, leading Lance to the rink.

“HOW ARE YOU GOING BACKWARDS?!”

“Because I use to come here every night and skate.  I’ve been to this part of town because Shiro and Matt hung out here to play the “Turtles in Time” game that… is still fucking here.”  Keith gave the arcade game a look.  Lance laughs then shrieks when he about fell over.

“I’M GONNA DIE!”

“You won’t if you’re careful.”  Keith said with a smug smile.  He pulls his scared boyfriend on the rink and the two skates.

The rink was lit up by colorful lights and many people skated around doing dumb shit like take selfies with their friends or made a conga line.  Keith held Lance’s hand and skated by the conga line.

“Hope you knock yourselves out!”  Keith shouts, Lance sighs.

“This is why no one likes you.”  That got Keith to laugh.

“Hey, these people need to learn to skate before making a damn line.”  Keith points out, he sees more girls taking selfies.  He glares at them, sometimes skating and texting is just as dangerous as driving.  Skates could get ya killed.

Lance clung onto Keith’s arm and skated around the oval shaped rink.  Everything was fine till they heard the DJ shout “cupid shuffle”.  Keith smiles.

“Come on.”

“What?”

“We have to get in the middle and dance.”

“Dance?!”  Lance shouts in fear.  “Dance in skates?!”

“Uh huh.”  Keith nods.  “It’ll be fun, I’ll make sure you don’t fall.”

“Okay.”  They got into the middle, people glared at Keith.  Surprised he was there.  Lance got sick of it.

“You gotta problem?”  He shouts.  They look away.  “What I thought,  _ la perras. _ ”  Lance grumbles, Keith held his arm.

“Lance it’s okay.  I know they hate me, so you don’t have to call them bitches.”

“Yes I do.”  Lance pouts.  The song starts up.  “I’M NOT READY!”

“Too late.”  The group started moving right.  Lance held onto Keith’s shoulder as they moved, as soon as they had to turn Lance stumbled.

“HOW DO YOU DO THIS?!”

“Practice Baby.  You’ve gotta practice!”  Keith yelled over the song.  When Lance faced Keith he clung to his back and moved with him.  Keith laughed.  “You won’t fall Lance.”

“I’m scared!”

“You’ll be fine.”  Soon enough the song was over, normal music played again and everyone left the middle and skated around.  Lance held Keith’s arm and clung to him like glue.  They grew to ignore the glares and whispers amongst the crowd.

“HEY YOU TWO!”  They heard a small voice yell out.  A girl skates away from a group a girls and hits the wall to the rink on the other side.  They recognized her.

“Shay!  Hi.”  Lance waves, Keith smiles and skates over.  She hugs Keith close.

“It’s been so long Keith!  How are you feeling?”

“I’m good, you?”

“Great.”  They talked like old friends, Lance looks at the two.

“You two know each other?”  He asks.  Keith rolls his eyes.

“Shay was like the only one who was nice to me since High School.”

“Yeah, Keith and I are allies!”  She said.  Lance broke out laughing.

“Allies?!  Keith I think you mean friend.”

“Well… I guess now we can be called that.  But Shay has friends.”  Keith points at the group of girls who were glaring at him.

“Oh don’t be silly Keith, we can be friends.”  She said happily.  “So what are you doing here?”

“Lance and I are on a date.”  Keith held Lance close.  Shay awes at the two.

“I didn’t know you were dating.  I mean I heard the rumor but you two are actually a thing.”

“Yeah.”  Lance nods.  “We’re a thing now…”  Lance couldn’t look away from the group who was still eyeing Keith.  “HEY QUIT STARING!  HE’S TAKEN!”  He wraps his arms around Keith and chuckles.

“Why did you shout that?”

“To embarrass them because they keep staring at you, they obviously don’t want you here.”

“Actually…”  Shay starts.  “Some of them do like Keith.”

“Huh?”  The two boys look at Shay.

“Yeah some girls really like the rebellious bad boy style you have.  Some girls like the bad boys.”

“O-Oh… I’m not really a bad boy.  I’ve been told by my friends and family that I’m actually nice… once you get to know me.”  Keith explained.

“Yeah and you’re dating me so they can fuck off!”  Lance clung to Keith.

“I’m gay remember?”

“Don’t care!  Mine!”

“You’re pathetic.”

“Shut up.  You act like this whenever Lotor is in a five foot radius of me.”

“Yeah and he likes you.  There is a difference.”

“WHAT DIFFERENCE?!”

“He has a chance.”  Keith pokes Lance’s nose.  The DJ shouts that the “hokey pokey” was next.  Shay jumps.

“Oh yay!  Come on you two, lets do the “hokey pokey”!”  Shay skates out and shows up in the middle.  Keith lead Lance to the middle.

“You’re going to have to let go.”

“I don’t wanna fall.”  Lance whines.  The group started to dance, Shay and Keith did it like it was nothing.  Lance stumbles.  He was glad that the ending was get on your knees and smack the ground to the song.  Then he had to get up.  Keith helped him with that.

“This sucks.”

“Do you want to leave?”

“No, I don’t hate it.  I just wish I knew how to skate.”

“Skating takes practice.”  Keith said.  Shay looks back at her fellow cheerleaders.

“Sorry boys but my friends kind of want me back.  Plus I don’t want to be the third wheel here.  So bye, say hi to Hunk for me.”

“Bye Shay.”  They wave her off.  The two started skating a bit.  It was going smoothly till Lance bumped into a group of teens who decided to stop and take another freaking selfie.  Lance fell over, landing on his butt.  He groans at the pain, the group dropped the phone.

“Hey watch it!”  One girl shouts.  Lance looks up.

“Sorry I can’t skate well.”

“Then go to the wall!”  Another kid points at the wall.  “Fucking moron.”  They picked up the phone, it was cracked.

“Oh good going.”  A guy in the group shouts.  “You ruined her phone.”

“I’m sorry, really.”

“You better pay for this.”  They kept snapping at him, Lance really wished he could get up and skate off but he can’t skate.  Keith skates over and smacks the girls phone out of her hand causing the screen to pop off the phone and the case to fly off.

“HEY YOU-”  She froze when she saw who it was.

“Don’t take your selfie in the middle of the skateway, bitch.”  He growls.  He skates up to Lance and helps him up.  “You okay Babe?”

“Fine.  I’m fine.”  Lance said.  “Just a little sore.”

“Yeah it’s a concrete rink, it’ll hurt.”  Keith glares at the group one last time before skating off with Lance, he smiles and held his hand tight.

“My hero~”

"They’re at fault.”  Keith snaps.  “They’re fucking rich and can afford a new phone.  Mommy and Daddy will pay for it.”  He growls.  Lance kept smiling.

“Yeah, they’ll get a new phone.”  They kept skating for a while, watching some kids leave.  A group of them knocked themselves out.

“Ha!”

“Keith!”

“What?  I said I hope they knocked themselves out.”

“Those are the same kids?”

“Yeah.”  Keith nods.  “So ha!”

“You keep this attitude up and we’re leaving early.”  Lance scolds.  Keith kept giggling evilly.  “Why do I put up with you?”

* * *

They walked back to Lance’s house and smiled.

“See, fun right?”

“Yeah… yeah that was fun.”  Keith looks down.  “I had fun.”

“Even mini golf?”

“... … even mini golf.”

“Yay!”  Lance hugs Keith.  “Let’s have a plan next time.”

“What like a movie?”

“You pick the movie.”  Lance said.  Keith laughs.

“Fine.”

“Okay, you’ll have to tell me when it is then.”  Lance said.  “Good night.”

“Night.”  Keith nods, Lance about walked away.  “Lance?”

“Hm?”

“Um… I… I.”  Keith couldn’t say it, but by God was he trying.  “I l-”

“Keith?”  Lance started to laugh.  “You don’t have to say it.”

“Shut up.  I-”  Lance cuts him off with a kiss.

“I love you too Keith.”  He said.  Keith hugs him.

“Um… mutual.”  Keith said.  Lance giggles, he loves how awkward Keith was.

“See you at work.”

“O-Okay.”  Keith walked back to the cafe.  Lance walks in and Isabella immediately runs at him.

“WAH WHY AREN'T YOU AT WORK?!”

“ _ Tienes que decirme todo. _ ”  She says happily.  Lance groans.

“ _ ¡Mamá! Fue una cita sencilla, no pasó nada grande. _ ”

“ _ ¡Era una cita con Keith! ¡Era una cita importante! _ ”

“ _ ¡Siéntate y cuéntamelo todo! _ ”

“Mamá!”  He whines.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my last day of summer. I'm going to go back to college and so posting may take longer than expected. Sorry guys, school comes first for me and marketing sucks. ^^;


	43. Like Any Other Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *proceeds to rise like Mushu from Mulan* I liiiiiiiive!

“So how did it go?”

“Fuck off Shiro.”  Keith took his hair out and storms in his room.  Shiro had his usual shit eating grin.  He followed his little brother into his room and kept asking him.

“What did you do?”

“Go away.”

“Did you have fun?”

“Just leave me alone.”

“What did you do?”

“Let me sleep.”

“Why won’t you answer my questions?”

“Please…”

“Did you kiss?”

“SHIRO!”  Keith was beat red, Shiro started giggling.  “God, go bug Allura!”  He threw the blankets over his head and waited for Shiro to leave.   He didn’t leave.

“Come on, we’re curious about how it went.”  He said in a teasing manner.

“We did random stuff, now go.”  Keith said.

“Are you upset?”

“Yes, cause you’re annoying me.”

“What happened?”

“I’m a fucking wuss now beat it.”  Keith grumbles.  Shiro lays next to him with a smirk.

“You couldn’t say it, could you.”

“Shut up.”

“How hard is it to say you love someone.  You say you love me.  You say it to Allura, and I know you say it to Pidge.  So what’s the issue.”

“I-I don’t know.  Whenever I try I feel all funny.  Like I get flustered and feel sick, I don’t know how to describe it.  But then if I don’t say it I feel guilty.”  

“You’re pathetic Keith.  But besides you chickening out, how did it go?”

“Um… it was a lot of fun.  Though I was mad that he dragged me into a ball pit.”  Keith remembers that horrid moment.  “I had to drag him out before he started an army of kids.”

“That sounds awesome.”

“Yeah I figured you’d think that.”  Keith said.  “Can we stop talking about it?”

“No.”  Shiro said playfully.  “Talk to me~  Tell me everything~”

“I raged at mini golf.”

“Besides you being a dumbass Keith.”  Shiro said.  Keith pouts.

“Hey I didn’t mean to!  That game is cheap!”

“Yeah yeah, anything else?”

“Just little things Shiro.  It wasn’t anything special.”  Keith looks down not wanting to talk about it.

“It was special to you.”  He said.  Keith smiles.

“Yeah… I guess.”  Shiro left his brother a smiling mess.  Allura came home later and did the exact same thing to Keith.  Poor guy wanted to be left alone.

* * *

Lance arrives at the cafe early the next day.  Allura waves at him sweetly, then she rests her face on her hands.

“Sooo?”

“God dammit.”  Lance chuckles.

“Was it fun?”

“Yes it was fun.”  Lance said.  “What’s my job today?”

“Now now now, we just opened up.”  She silences him.  “I wanna know more, give me details.”  She said.  “Keith told me some interesting things last night.”

“Oh really?”  Lance chuckles.  “Like what?”

“Like how you wanted to start an army of kids.”

“Viva la ball pit!”

“And how you have no idea how to skate.”

“Shut up!  That is hard to do!”  Lance squeaks.

“Aaaand how you looked sexier than anyone he’s ever seen.”  She gave a devilish grin.  Lance’s face turned red in a second.  He stutters.

“Um.. uh… n-no no no.  I uh…  Dammit!”  He ran into the kitchen to hide.  “You’re lying!”

“No I am not.  He says he thought you were sexy before but damn you looked good.”  She remembers what Keith said.  “Sad though, the only way he could ever tell you that was a note.”  She leans back against the wall near the register.  Lance’s eyes grew wide.

“What note?!”

“He left a note for you once.  He said if I remember correctly… “I will not ever say that to his face so I’ll leave this.  We’re not friends so he’ll never suspect it’s me.”.”  Allura said.

“HE LEFT THAT?!”

“I assume he left a note.”  She pulls her phone out.  “Where is he by the way?”  She asks, Coran walks in moments later.

“Sorry if I’m late.”  He says happily.

“It’s fine Coran, you’re on time actually.  Where is my stupid brother?”  She calls Shiro, the two talked while Coran and Lance started to chat.

“So Lance, how much longer till school ends?”

“Not much longer, we still have spring break.”

“Oh fun fun fun!”

“Yeah, fun.”  He smiles.

“Any ideas for college?”

“I don’t think I’ll go to college.”

“What?!”

“I like working here.”  Lance said with a smile.  “I can talk to people, make something people will like, and work with family.  What more could I want?”  He asks.  Coran’s face softens.

“You don’t think like other young men Lance.  Most I know would’ve gone to the money, you seem to value personal happiness over personal wealth.”  He pulls at his mustache.  Lance wonders if it’s made of putty for it to pull like that.

Keith walks in all tired and ready to kill anyone who bugs him.  Lance walks out and hugs him.

“Good morning Sunshine~”  Lance sings.

“I’ll fucking kill you.”

“Jeez…  _ Feliz como siempre veo. _ ”  Lance pulls away from their hug.

“ _ Me molestas. _ ”  Keith mumbles back and walks into the kitchen.  Lance’s mouth dropped.

“How DARE you!  I am not annoying!  You take that back!”  Wrong thing to be surprised about Lance.  He stops moments later.  “Wait… you spoke Spanish.  YOU SPOKE SPANISH!”  He squeals and runs at Keith, almost glomping him.  “You spoke Spanish!”

“Yeah, I’ve been around your family so much that it’s rubbing off.”  Keith explained.  “I learned that one from Sam.”

“Figures…”  Lance said.  “But you learning Spanish is great!”

“Why?”  Keith asks.

“Cause my entire family speaks it Keith!”  Lance explained.  “Most of them barely know English, my family is the most fluent in English.  My family in Cuba sticks to their native tongue.”

“If you’re going to stay with Lance then you’re going to start speaking Spanish Keith.”  Allura says.

“I’m going to be multilingual?”  Keith asks.  “Fuck I’m gonna mix all these damn languages up.”  Keith grumbles.  Lance just laughs.

“It’s not like you’re going to randomly blurt it out.”

“Just watch, we’re gonna live together and you’ll do something then I’m gonna shout in Spanish.  Call you a  _ tardo. _ ”  Keith said.  Lance gave him a shocked look.

“Who taught you that?!”

“Mamá.”

“Dammit… you’re going to learn vulgar phrases before you learn how to properly introduce yourself.”  Lance whines.  Keith chuckles and decided to tease Lance further with this.

“Maybe I should let Sam teach me dirty talk before introductions.”  He said.  Lance turned white.

“ _ ¡NO, POR FAVOR! _ ”  Lance whines.  The others in the cafe laugh.  “You’re horrible.”

“I think I’m a great person.”  Keith points out, Allura groans and hands Keith a list.

“Why don’t you and Lance go get groceries for me.”

“Do we have to?”

“Yes, now go have this argument somewhere else.”  Allura says.  The two boys groan and walk out.

* * *

Keith tries reaching for something that was a shelf too high for him.  He sees Lance come back with the cart and looking at the list, paying Keith no mind.

“Lance, help!”  He said in a strained voice.  Lance didn’t look up from the list.

“That is not on the list Keith.”

“I want it!”

“Down.”  Lance rolls up the list and lightly smacks Keith’s head with it.  “You don’t need a big bag of Hershey's.  Keith pouts and follows Lance.

“You don’t know that.”

“You don’t need a pound of chocolate.”  Lance scolds.  Keith looks at Lance with big eyes.

“Can I get something smaller?”  He asks with a small voice, Lance kept staring at the list and looked at the aisle numbers.

“I refuse to look at you, I know you’re giving me that look.”

“Lance?”  Keith chuckles knowing Lance is going to give in.  “Can I have something smaller, please?”

“Keith…”

“Just one candy bar?”  He kept asking.  Lance looked at him to say no but that died down in his throat.  He quickly looked away.

“Just go pick something.”  He mutters.  Keith smirks and runs down the aisle with candy.  Lance rests his head on the handle of the cart.  Keith should not have that kind of power over him.  Keith runs back holding a king sized Reese’s pack.  “Really?”

“Smaller than the bag.”  He said.  Lance pokes Keith’s head in annoyance, he chuckles again and threw the candy in the cart.  They got everything and now had to carry it back to the cafe.  At least nothing was too heavy.

Lance started swinging the bags around like a child would and hummed a happy little tune, he hit Keith by accident.

“Watch it!”  Keith swung back.  Lance squeaks and dodged it.  “Don’t swing those around.”  Lance stuck his tongue out in response.  They continued down the slightly busy sidewalk just listening to the sounds of the city.  Then someone came and pats Lance’s cheek, he yelps and clung to Keith.  The culprit was Lotor’s friend Narti with a smile on her face.

“O-Oh… it’s only you Narti.”  Lance said.  “What’s up?”  She points her walking stick in her friends direction.  Ezor runs up and hugs her friend happily.

“So did you figure out it was him?”  She asks, Narti points at Lance.  “It is him!”

“Hi again.”  Lance was trying to be nice to the two while Keith looks out for Lotor.  Sure enough Lotor walks over with Acxa and Zethrid.  Zethrid ran at Keith and tried fighting him, though Keith wasn’t one to back away from a fight he didn’t want to risk it fighting her.

“GET OVER HERE!”

“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!”  He yells as he kept running.  Acxa walks up to Lance and watches the two run around.  Lance looks at her.

“Can you stop her?”  He asks.  Acxa nods and walks over, she grabs Zethrid by the ear.

“Knock it off.”  She said in a sour tone.  Lotor walks over to Lance with a smile.

“Haven’t seen you in forever Beautiful.  How is it?”

“Oh, I’m fine.”  Lance responds.  “Just… waiting for school to end.”  He sounded so awkward.  “How are you guys?”

“Decent at best.”  Lotor looks over at Acxa and Zerthrid who were arguing.  Narti kept petting Lance’s face happily, Ezor decided to join the argument by siding with Acxa.  “I honestly have no idea why I put up with them sometimes.”

“Even if they’re annoying they’re still your friends and you’ve gotta love them.”  Lance points out.  Lotor sighs, but a small smile grew.

“Yeah, you’re right.”  He said.  “Look at you, not only beautiful but smart as well.”

“B-Basic knowledge…”  Lance confirms.  “I’m sure an eight year old would say the same thing.”

“You have a lot of doubt, don’t you.”  Lotor said with a smile.

“Maybe?”  Lance questioned himself… okay he knew he had a lot of self doubt but he wouldn’t say it out loud.  Keith walks over and tugs on Lance’s arm.

“Come on!”  He said.  “We have to get back to Allura!”

“Okay okay, calm down.”  Lance said.  “It’s been nice talking to you guys.”

“Leaving so soon?”  Lotor asks.  “Shame, I would love to talk to you more.”  He flirts with the poor Cuban.  “Maybe some other time then.”  He quickly taps Lance’s lips, Keith got in front of Lance.

“How many times am I going to have to repeat myself?  Taken!  Off the market!  Meaning back off!”  Keith snaps.  Lotor gave an unamused look.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t try to win him over.”

“He’s mine!  You can’t take someone else’s boyfriend!”  Keith was so done with Lotor.  “Forget you, we’re leaving.”  Keith takes Lance’s hand and got about a foot away before Lotor spoke up.

“I feel bad for Lance, having to date someone as pathetic as you.”  He said.  “What kind of a man walks away after someone else kisses their lover?  I’ll tell you, someone who shouldn’t be called a man.”  He said in a cold tone.

Lance looks at Keith, his eyes screamed murder.  Lance held Keith’s hand tight.

“Sweetie, it’s fine.  Ignore him.”  Lance tried to calm Keith down.  Didn’t work, Keith hands Lance the bags he was holding and storms up to Lotor.  “Oh no…”

“What?  You have something to say?”  He asks.  Keith said nothing, instead he punched Lotor’s face as hard as he could.  Lotor held his face and glares at Keith.  “Why you little-”  He hissed, Keith grabs Lotor’s collar and gives him a death glare.

“You ever try taking Lance from me again, I will personally take care of you myself.”  He sounded like a villain.  “And believe me when I say that when I’m done, no one will ever find you.”  He pushes Lotor away and walks back to Lance.  Ezor and Narti had to hold Zethrid back while Acxa helped Lotor up.

“You were asking for it.”

“Shut up.”

* * *

Allura was playing a card game with Matt and Shiro when they heard the door open and the two arguing.

“All I’m saying is that you shouldn’t fight people.  I’m glad you did that, don’t get me wrong.  But be careful okay?”

“He kissed you, I was not going to let him flirt with you and insult me.”

“I don’t want you hurt.”

“I want you to be glad that I protected you.”

“Keith, this is about you being careful on who you piss off.”  Lance kept scolding Keith.

“He pissed me off!”

“I know he did, and yeah he should’ve seen that coming.”  Lance said quickly.  “But you know that you would’ve crossed a dangerous line and could’ve gotten w-”

“Babe, everything will be fine.”  Keith finally said.  “Nothing bad is going to happen to me.”  They set the groceries down in the kitchen and began to put them away.  Lance lets out a huff in annoyance.

“If he comes back at you and hurts you I will be upset.”  Lance said in a sour tone.  Keith snickers and puts the last item away.

“Don’t be.  I said everything will be fine.  You worry too much.”  He kisses Lance’s cheek and walks out.  Shiro looks at him with a raised eyebrow.

“What happened?”

“I punched Lotor.”  Keith said happily.  Shiro gave him a shocked look while Allura laughed.

“Hi five!”

“Yeah!”  The two hi fived.

“No no NO!”  Shiro snaps.  “Bad Keith!  You don’t punch people!”  He scolds his brother like a dog, but he was sick of telling him to not punch people.  Also Allura wasn’t being a good role model.

“How about you tell Shiro you threatened to kill him.”

“What?!”

“Is it that surprising?”  Keith asks.  Shiro said nothing, he gave Keith the usual disappointed look.  “He kissed Lance and insulted my manhood!”  Keith points out.  The same look.  “I will not let that faggot insult me!”

“You’re more of a faggot than Lotor.”  Allura points out.

“No I’m not!”

“You are literally a gay guy Keith.  Lotor is bi.”

“But I’m not a faggot!”  He kept arguing.  Lance walks out.

“Don’t argue with him.  He’ll keep saying he’s not a faggot.”  Lance wraps his arms around Keith’s waist and rests his head on his shoulder.  Allura looks at Lance.

“You two excited about spring break?”

“Is that soon?”  Lance asks.

“Uh… it’s next week.”  She said.  “Just get through this week of school then a break.”  She smiles.  “I’ve heard Pidge is excited.”

“She won’t shut up about it.  Keeps telling me that she’s gonna go cause havoc.”  Matt said.  “I’m joining in on that havoc.”

“Way to be an adult Matt.”  Shiro points out.

“Screw being an adult!  Being an adult is boring!”  The group kept talking since nobody was coming in for some odd reason, reason being?  Well Allura noticed it before she closed that she forgot to flip the sign saying open.  She was pissed the rest of the night.

* * *

The week was normal till about halfway when gym came around.  The group walks in and see obstacles around the gym.  Pidge and Hunk groan.

“Why obstacle course matt ball!”  Pidge shouts.  Lance looks at Keith.

“What is obstacle course matt ball?”

“Matt ball with obstacles around.”  Keith said.  “Those pins are hollow will fall down easily, one falls and you’re out.  You’ll have to maneuver around those big things that are close together, and at last hurdles… you can jump over or move around them.”

“Ah… those two seem to hate it.”  Lance points at their two friends who were hugging each other in sadness.  “Do you like this game?”

“I feel indifferent about it.”

“You don’t care.”

“Yup.”  Keith nods and leans against Lance’s shoulder waiting for class to start.  They all got changed and met up again.  Pidge clung to Lance.

“SAME TEAM!”  She shouts.  Keith gave her a look.

“Seriously?”  He asks.  “Whenever a game that requires leg muscle pops up you cling to Lance like it’s life support.”

“He’s got a lot of leg!”  She points out.  “Look at those glorious legs.”

“Glorious?”  Lance asks confused.  Keith looks down with a smirk.

“They are impressive I’ll give ‘em that.”  He said in a flirtatious tone.  Lance blushed.

“D-Don’t!”

“Don’t what?  You’ve got sexy legs Babe.”

“Nonononono!  Stop it!”  Lance hid his face in his hands.  Keith and Pidge laugh, Hunk pats his friend’s head feeling no sympathy whatsoever.  Coach got the class split up and the four were glad to be on the same team this time around.  Pidge kicks first and runs to first.  Keith tugs on Lance’s sleeve and points at Pidge.

“Watch when she goes near the pins.”

“Okay.”  Lance nods.  When the other kicker goes she bolts to second, her sprinting turned into ballerina tip toes and she delicately walks across.  Lance about lost it, that was funny.

Lance went and he felt anxiety being near the pins.  Keith walked by not caring if he got out, he got out.  Hunk tip toes quickly.

“I am too big for this game!”  He runs towards the big things as Keith walked by the pins again.  He stares at the obstacle you have to squeeze your way through.  “This isn’t fair…”  Keith walks by him and moved with ease.

Pidge made it to the hurdles with Lance.  Pidge walked around them quickly and made it to her base.  Lance could jump two at a time and there were four rows of hurdles.

“SCREW YOU LANKY BOY!”  She shouts.  Hunk runs towards the hurdles and realized something.  He was too big to maneuver and he couldn’t jump over them.

“ANARCHY I SAY!”  He shouts.  Hunk decided fuck it and bulldozed the hurdles down.  Coach whistles.

“Hunk you can’t do that!”

“Coach look at me.  Does this body look like it can make it through those?”

“You could try!”  Coach said, they noticed Keith walk by and jumped over the hurdles while they were down.  He smiled and put his arms up in victory while laughing.  “Red-”  Lance held his arms out, Keith ran towards him and jumped in his arms, the two put one leg up still laughing.

“Go back to that base Red, you didn’t jump over those!”

“Yes I did!”  Keith said.  “I jumped over all those hurdles, you can’t say I didn’t.”  He kept laughing while staying in Lance’s arms.  Coach groans and made Hunk pick up the hurdles.  Hunk went around again and the same thing happened, he bulldozed them down.

“Hunk!”

“I cannot go around those.”

“Hunk you refuse to listen one more time and I’m going to have no choice but to punish you.”

“Again I can’t help it!  Let me ask you this… do you expect me to jump over those or run around?”  Hunk asks.  

“I expect you to try!”  

Hunk did it again.  Coach said nothing, he hands Hunk a slip that had a time on it.  After class the other three go ‘ooooh’

“You got a detention buddy.”  Lance said.

“WHAT?!”  He shrieks.  “I-I’VE NEVER HAD A DETENTION BEFORE!”  He shouts.

“Have fun buddy.”  Pidge pats her friends shoulder.  Keith saw how upset Hunk was, so he was gonna try to cheer him up.

“H-Hey man it’s fine.  I have detention today too so you won’t be alone.”

“What?”  Lance spoke up, clearly not happy hearing that.  Keith looks at Lance then looks away.

“I may have gotten mad at a kid and punched him.”

“Keith-”

“He threw a pencil at me.”

“Keith-”

“So I broke it and threatened to stab him.”

“CARINO YOU CAN’T PUNCH PEOPLE!”  Silence.

“... … But he threw a pencil at me.”  He said with an innocent tone.  Lance groans and walked away.

“We are going to talk about this later, you two have fun in detention.”  He snaps and walks away.  Keith looks at Hunk then began to bounce happily.

“We have detention together!”

“My parents are gonna kill me.”

* * *

Hunk looks around the detention room.  He sees a few others sitting around, all of them looked like delinquents who would steal his lunch money.  He began to shake in his seat, he was scared.

“Quit shaking.”  Keith said in a monotone voice, he had his legs up on the desk and was slouching in his seat.  He had one earbud in and was listening to music.

“B-But Keith… this place is horrible.”  Hunk said in quiet, scared voice.  “I don’t belong here.”

“Are you saying I do?!”  Keith asks.  Hunk just looks at him.

“Keith… I love you buddy but be honest here.  How many times have you sat in this room?”  He asks.  Keith opened his mouth to answer but realized Hunk was right.  He shuts it and sat back down in his seat.  He took his phone out and flips through videos.

“Um Keith… you aren’t suppose to be on your phone.”  He said, Keith points at the other kids who were on their phones as well.  Hunk looks back at him.  “But it’s stated that you can’t be on your phones.”

“Not stopping us.”  Keith said.  Hunk kept looking at all the kids, one got sick of him.

“Stop staring at us!  Mother fucker.”  A kid hissed, Keith got up.

“Hey!”  Keith got his attention.  He didn’t say anything, but his cold eyes said a thousand words.  The kid squeaked in fear and looked away.  Keith sat back down with a smirk.

“You really scared him.”  Hunk points out.

“Being the most feared kid in school has it’s perks.”  He said in a cool tone.  Hunk looks at him.

“Like what?  Cause getting on your boyfriend’s good side is definitely not one of them.”

“Huh… you’re right.”  Keith thought about it, yeah… Lance isn’t happy with him at the moment.  

“When is this hell over?”

“In about twenty minutes.”

“You stay here for a half an hour?”   


“Yup.”  Keith went back to listening to music.  Hunk took out a journal and passed the time by doodling stick figures on the page.  Anything to help distract him from his current and unfortunate situation.

Eventually time was up and everyone filed out of the detention room.  Hunk looks at Keith.

“How do you manage to do that all the time?”  He asks.

“You make it sound like I’m in there everyday.”

“Well.”

“Ouch Hunk.”  Keith said.  “I’ll have you know that this year I haven’t gotten as many detentions as I did last year.”

“You’re practically a saint.”  Hunk said sarcastically.  He hops on his bike.  “See ya tomorrow.”

“Yeah.”  Keith waves Hunk off and walks to his car.

* * *

Lance was in the cafe with Shiro and Matt, all three making experimental drinks and giving it to customers for free.  It was a game and Allura was fine with it as long as the fucks paid for all the shit they wasted.

Keith walks in with his usual expression.

“How was detention mister?”  Allura asks.  Keith shrugs and looks to the side.

“Normal I guess.”  He said, Lance runs out and about tackled Keith down.

“Hello  _ Cariño _ .”  Lance sounded too happy.  Keith chuckles and pushes Lance off.

“Alright I know you aren’t happy with me so what’s up?”  He asks.  Allura looks over at the two.

“I only told this to Lance since Shiro and I kind of talked about it today.”  Allura said.  “But we thought it’d be nice for all of us to hang out together during break.”

“Huh?”  Keith was confused.

“I mean like a little trip Keith.  I’ve heard you’ve never really been on a vacation before, not counting Christmas and going to my place.”  She said.  “Soooo I thought it’d be nice for all of us to go.”

“Really?”  Keith was surprised in all honesty.  Shiro peaks his head through the window.

“Sounds like a good idea?”

“A great idea!”  Keith sounded to excited.  “What do you guys have planned though?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My sister gave me this idea (the one who rages at MarioKart that I proceed to make Pidge, yeah that's the one) We just randomly talked about gym class and thus it lead to this. So thank my little sister for poor baby Hunk's detention and suffering (Hunk is her favorite character)


	44. Quick Trip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi hi hi I'm here, I haven't forgotten. I had to put this on the side while I worked on everything else. So enjoy this chapter...

Lance leans against Keith on the car ride down to wherever they were going.  He was falling back asleep.

“What time is it?”  He asks happily, Keith looks at Lance and chuckles.

“Six o four.”

“Why are we awake so early?”

“You want to get down there before it’s too dark?”  He asks, Lance cuddles into Keith’s shoulder.

“I value beauty sleep.”  Lance fell back asleep, Keith leans his head against Lance’s and watches the road go by quickly.  Shiro was with Lance on the whole falling asleep thing, Allura was the only other person awake.  She looks at Keith.

“Guess it’s just us.”

“Guess it is.”  Keith looks outside.  “How far is this place?”  He asks, Allura looked at her GPS then back on the road.

“A few miles.”

“As in another state?”

“Yeah.”

“Damn we couldn’t take a plane?”

“Shiro didn’t want Black to be uncomfortable.”

“Still don’t see why we need to bring Black with us.”  He stares at the kennel at his feet, Black was giving him his usual sassy look.  They continued the quiet car ride down to where ever.

* * *

“So what’s the plan?”  Lance asks while shoving a breakfast sandwich in his mouth.  Keith looked at Lance and poked his face.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full.”

“Fight me.”  Lance said, he swallows and asked again.  “So plan?”

“Well.”  Allura was in the passenger side now.  “You’ll see once we get there.”

“Aw, I have to wait?”

“Yes.”  She nods.  Lance pouts and finished his food.  After a while he grew bored and watched things fly by outside.  The whole car was quiet, even Black was silent.

“So how long are we staying?”  Lance asked.

“Two days not counting today.”  Allura said.

“Alright.”  Lance said and looked out the window again, the whole car was silent.  It was boring.

“I spy with my little eye… something grey.”

“Road.”  Shiro said.

“Dammit.”  Lance pouts.  Shiro smirks.

“I spy something… … blue.”

“Was it that car that just went a hundred by us?”  Keith asks.

“Nope.”

“That billboard?”  Lance asks, Shiro shook his head.  Allura gave her boyfriend a look.

“I swear to God if it’s the sky-”  He grew a playful smirk.  “Dammit Shiro.”  She giggles.  “Okay okay, I spy something… red.”

“That sign.”  Keith said.

“Well that was fast.”

“Not a lot of red things out there.  Alright I spy something… arcadian.”  He said.  Everyone went silent.  Keith just stares at everyone.  “What?  I said I spy something arcadian.”  He said again, and again nobody said anything.

“The people whose first language is English have no clue what the fuck you just said, how am I supposed to figure out what that word means?”  Lance asks.  Keith points at the large garden they were driving by.

“See?  That is arcadian.”

“Keith what does that word even mean?”  Shiro asks.

“Arcadian, something serene.”

“Then say serene.”  Shiro said.  Lance looked even more lost.

“ _ ¿Qué coño significa  _ serene _? _ ”  Lance asks, so confused with the language being spoken around him.

“Serene, meaning calm.  Peaceful, tranquil.”  Keith explained.  “That is serene, or arcadian.”

“No one likes big words.”  Lance points out.  Keith rolled his eyes.

“Whatever, I get to go again.”  Keith smirks. “I spy with my little eye… something… cerulean.”

“FUCK YOU!”  Lance started smacking Keith.  Shiro was lost while Allura looks around.

“Cerulean… cerulean… is it… …”  She gave another bored look.  “I swear to all that is holy, BOY!”  She shouts, Keith flinches and giggles like a child.

“What is it?”  Lance asked.

“The sky.”  She said, Lance looks at him.

“Seriously?!”  Lance squeaks.  “No one uses big words while playing I spy!”  Lance kept smacking him.

“I spy something else!”  Keith shouts, still laughing like a child.  “I spy something querulous, irksome, comely, and feckless.”  He said looking right at Lance.  Lance looks away in a pout.  “What?  One of those was a good thing.”

“ _ Ya no estoy hablando contigo. _ ”  He grumbles.  Keith kept laughing.

“Don’t be like that.  I just said one of those words was good.”

“One.”  Shiro points out.  Keith kept trying to get Lance to talk to him.

“Lance?  Come on, I was kidding.”  Lance kept ignoring him.  Allura and Shiro both laugh at what was happening.

“Keith, can you tell us what Lance said?”  Allura asks, still laughing.  Keith looks at her and thought for a moment.

“Um… well I know  _ hablar _ is talk so … that could be  _ hablando _ .”  Keith kept trying to translate.  “T-That’s all I got.”  He said quietly.  Allura nods.

“I think Lance said he’s not talking to you.”  She said.  Keith looks at Lance and hugs him.

“No!  Don’t ignore me!”  He said in a rather pathetic voice.  “I’m sorry I take all of them back!”  He whines.  Lance still looked away.  “Lance!”

“This trip is taking quite the turn.”  Shiro said.  Allura looks back at the two with a bored look.

“Yeah… this is going to be a long trip.”  She said as she watched the outside fly by.

* * *

The group stops at a random gas station to stretch and take a break from the car.  Allura runs into the gas station like she was on fire.

“Have to pee, have to pee!”  She shouts as she runs in.  Keith and Shiro watch her run in.  They were quiet for a moment.

“Hurry back.”  Shiro calls to her.  Lance crawls out and stretched, cracking his back.

“I’m too tall for this!”  He whines.  Shiro looks at him.

“I’m a head taller than you.”

“I am almost your height.”  Keith adds on.

“And you two can shut up!”  He whines.  “I’m gonna go look around the gas station.”  He walks in, Keith follows behind.  Lance stopped at something and picks it up, it was a panda head.

“Keith, lookie.”  Lance said.  Keith gave him a look.

“It’s a panda head.”

“Yeah-”  Lance put it on Keith’s head.  “It’s a furry head!”

“What?”

“A furry.”

“A furry?”  Keith asks.  “Do I wanna know?”

“Do you love me?”

“I question it sometimes.”

“Then I will not explain it.”  Lance said.  Shiro walks in and saw Keith wearing the head.  Keith looks up at Shiro, it was kind of a hilarious sight.

“What the actual fuck?”  He asks.  Lance puts another head on Shiro and stood back.

“Panda brothers~”  He said in a magical voice.  Shiro dabs, Keith groans.  Lance broke out laughing at took a picture on his phone.  “Oh my God Allura’s gonna love this!”  He said through laughter.

“Can we take these off now?”

“Why?  You are now legit Asian brothers!”

“Taking it off.”  Keith took it off and put it back where Lance found it, he glares at Lance.  Shiro takes his off with a laughter.

“Legit Asian brothers.”  He said, Keith smacks him.

“Do not encourage him!”  He said as he smacked his older brother.  Shiro giggles like a child.  Shiro pushed him into the panda head basket.  Keith glares at him.  Shiro ran off laughing while Keith chased him.

Allura walks out of the bathroom feeling much better.  Shiro and Keith about ran her over.  As they ran by she walks over to Lance and points.

“What happened?”

“Um… they’re acting like brothers.”  Lance said.

“Yeah, what lead to this?”

“Shiro encouraged joke, Keith smacks Shiro for joke, Shiro pushes Keith in panda heads, now this.”  He said, Allura nods.

“Okay.  Will they stop?”

“Do you have a sibling?”

“No.”

“Oh, well then no this won’t stop anytime soon.  You live with them you should know this.”  Lance points out.  Allura sighs and walks out of the gas station.  She was done with her so called family.  

* * *

The rest of the car ride was full of ‘look at that’ and ‘I spy but you need a dictionary’ and Lance wasn’t having that.  He got mad and ignored Keith again, which resorts to Keith whining for attention.

Shiro and Allura sigh and tried to ignore the two the best they could.  It wasn’t too far now.

They got to where they were staying and Keith had to bitch about elevator space.

“Like seriously, why is this elevator so fucking tiny?!”  He hisses.  “I can’t feel my fucking arms or legs, CAN I GET ANY ELBOW ROOM?!”  He elbows Lance in the gut.  He squeaks in pain, sadly he can’t move because the lack of room.  Keith looks at Lance.  “Oh… um… sorry Babe.”

Lance’s response was another sad squeak.  Finally the four got into their room and Allura flops on the first bed she saw.

“Ah sweet Jesus this is nice.”  She said.  Lance looks at her and decided to lay on her.  “Aw… get off of me Lance!”  She said in a low tone.  “Seriously, you’re bigger than me.”

“And you’re comfy.”

“Get on your bed!”

“Make me.”  He said.  Allura rolled over, causing Lance to fall off of her.  She got of the bed and picked him up.  She walks over to his bed and threw him on it.

“Stay there.”

“So mean.”  He whines.  Keith threw his bags on Lance.  “OW!  First you elbow me now you throw your shit on me?!  What’s next a kick in the face?”  He asks.  Keith shrugs in response and lays down beside him.  Shiro looks over at the two.

“Are you two comfortable sharing a bed?”

“We’ve shared plenty of times.”  Keith said.  “I think we’ll be fine.”  He looks at the window.  “Oh perfect fucking place for a street lamp.”  He complains.  “God’s holy light coming in.”  He said.  Allura and Lance sang in angelic voices at the same time.  Keith gave the two an unamused look, Shiro claps.

“That was beautiful you two.  You should be in a choir.”

“I am in my church’s choir.”  Lance points out.  “They say I should sing more cause my voice is so good.”  Lance smiles.

“You sound like Finn from Adventure Time.”  Keith said in a deadpan voice.

“I DO NOT!”  Lance smacks his leg.  “I hate you.”

“Glad the feeling’s mutual.”  Again in a deadpan voice.  Lance pouts but he crawled over to Keith and rested his head on his chest.  Shiro and Allura just stared at the two as they passed out.

“They have a very… unique relationship.”  Allura said.

“Keith cannot say ‘I love you’ but he can say he hates his boyfriend.”  Shiro said.  “He’s an odd duck.”  Allura started to giggle, Shiro started to chuckle at Allura’s contagious laughter.  “What?”

“An odd duck…”

“You’re such a kid.”

“You love me.”  She calmed down and fell asleep.  Shiro let Black out and let the cat walk around.

* * *

They all got up and walked out of the hotel to find something to do, though Allura knew the whole plan.

“So where to first?”  

“And why did we skip breakfast, God I’m starving.”  Keith complained.  Allura smiles at the two.

“Cause you’ll have to wait an hour until you can swim.”

“That is a lie and you kno-”

“SWIMMING?!”  Lance interrupts Keith.

“Yes, I heard you were an athlete Lance.  You were a swimmer, correct?”

“Uh huh!”

“Well then I thought a water park would be a great idea.  And it’s indoors.”

“For real?!”

“Yes, now get ready everyone.”  She said, Lance was practically bouncing in his seat.

* * *

The whole waterpark was huge and indoors no less.  Lance looked around in awe, he was so excited he pointed at everything.

“ _ ¡Mira el tobogán de agua!  ¡Es enorme!  ¡Oh, mira eso! ¡Un juego de carreras! ¡Y una piscina! _ ”

“English Lance.”  Keith said.

“I’m sorry, I’m just really excited!”

“Really?  I can’t tell.”  Keith said in a sarcastic voice.

“Shut up, and is everything of yours red?”  He asks while pointing at his swim trunks.  Keith looks at his then back up.

“Don’t fucking judge me.”

“You will be judged.”  They noticed Shiro walk out and stand next to them.  Lance pokes his prosthetic arm.  “Is that okay in the water?”

“Yeah.”  He said.  “Or should I take it off and scare everyone here.  I kind of want to see that now.”

“Please keep it on.”  Keith begs.  “The last time you took it off it was in a Pizza Hut.  You grossed everyone out.”

“I got a lady to scream, it was funny.”  Shiro smiles at the memory, Keith had a different expression when it came to that memory.  The stood around watching everyone run around happily.  Allura finally came out while trying to put her big curly hair in a ponytail.

“Sorry for taking so long.”  She apologized, Lance just stared at her while Keith spoke up.

“Way to keep it PG Allura.”  He teased.

“What?”

“One tug on that string and the whole top is coming off.”  Keith tugs lightly on her back strings.  “I don’t think a strapless bikini was a bright idea.

“Bite me.”  She hisses.  “And trust me it’s a tight, form fit.  It won’t fall off unless someone takes it off.”  She pushes Keith’s head, he chuckles.

“Alright.”  He shrugs.  Lance looked at her arms and legs.

“What’s wrong?”

“Are… are these pink markings tattooes?”

“Yeah.  My family gets them when they become an adult.  Did you think the marks on my face were makeup?”

“Yes… I thought that was makeup.”

“Well no it’s a tattoo.”  She said.  “I have a full body tattoo.”  She does a twirl and Lance saw her whole tattoo.  It was surprising to see the whole thing.  “Now what first?”

“Food.”  Keith complains.

“After we swim.”  Allura said.  “You two can go do whatever you want.  Come on Shiro.”  She grabs his arm and tugs him away.  Lance looks around trying to find something they could do while Keith pouts.  He was so hungry.  Lance points at the lazy river the place had, Keith looks at him and nods.

“Sure I guess.”  Keith said, Lance looked again.  

“ _ Tubo interno. _ ”  Lance said.  “ _ Necesitamos un tubo interior. _ ”  He said while pointing.  Keith stares at him.

“Babe you’ve got to speak English.”

“I said we need a  _ tubo interno _ .”

“ _ ¿Tubo interior? _ ”  Keith asked.  Lance grew frustrated.

“I-It’s that thing!”  He points at the inner tubes.  “That!  The- the  _ tubo interno. _ ”  He said.  Keith gave him a look.

“You mean inner tube?”

“I didn’t know what they were called in English!”  He complains.  Keith shook his head.

“Lance they almost sound identical.”

“Quit being mean.”  Lance picks up an inner tube and walks in the river.  Keith walked to an empty one already floating.  Lance clung onto his and let his arms dangle as he floated by.  Keith somehow managed to get on his and floats by looking totally relaxed.

“Having fun?”

“I guess.  I could fall asleep like this.”

“It’s called lazy river for a reason.”  Lance points out.

“You know the English term for this but not inner tube?”

“I’ll bite you.”

“Kinky.”  Keith teased.

“I’m swimming away from you.”  Lance moved his feet on the ground and kicked away from Keith.  He couldn’t get far though.

“Great distance Lance.”

“You know what?  Who needs you.”  Lance closed his eyes and kept floating.  Keith laughed and decided to let him float around.  Allura floats by Keith, the two stared at each other awkwardly.

“You come here often?”  She asks.  Keith chuckles.

“What’s it to ya?”  He asks back, the two laughed.  Shiro floats by sitting like Keith.  Keith now noticed that Allura was like Lance, just lazily holding onto her inner tube.  Shiro looked very relaxed, not like him at all. Keith splashed him.

“H-Hey!”  He splashed Keith back.  “I was content you little shit.”

“I know, it isn’t like you.”  He said.  Shiro gave him a look.

“You suck.”

“And swallows AYO!”  Lance shouts.  Keith shot Lance a look, one that screamed murder.  He yelps and starts kicking away.  Keith got out of his inner tube and ran after him.

“GET OVER HERE!”

“LET ME LIVE!”  Lance whines, Keith caught up to him and dunked him in the water.  Then he took his inner tube.  Shiro and Allura laughed at them.  Lance walks over to Allura and floats with her.

“Are you okay Sweetie?”  She asks.  He didn’t want to speak, he just got inner tube jacked.  Lance saw stairs to get out and he walked towards it.  He didn’t notice Keith followed him and jumped on his back like Pidge.

“GAH!”

“Gimmie a ride!”  He said in a playful voice.

“You’re heavier than Pidge!”  He shouts.  “Keith!”

“Weeee this is fun~”

“Oh come on!  Alpha my ass!”

“Shut up and go somewhere.”

“Where?”  Lance looks around, he can’t see anything around him.

“Slides.”

“Where is that?”  He kept looking.  Finally Keith points up.  Lance looks at the big slide.  “Oh… where’s the stairs for that?”

“Find them.”

“I cannot see!”  He shouts at Keith.  “Get off of me.”  He tried getting Keith off, he clung on tighter.  “God you are worse than Pidge.”

“Go!”  He said.  Shiro and Allura walk up to them.  Lance looks at them and whines.

“Get him off!”

“Okay.”  Shiro grabs Keith’s sides and lifts him, he was like a rag doll.  Keith points at the giant slide.  The two had the same dumb grin and they ran for it.  Allura grabs Lance’s hand and follows them.

“Boys calm down!”  She complains, they kept running.  Finally they got on the stairs and in the line.  They all stayed quiet and waited.  Lance looks at them.

“Well this is fun.”

* * *

Halfway up the stairs and Lance points at an old TV that was covered in webs and turned off.  Guess it doesn’t work.  Keith looks down at the others who were waiting, Shiro kept telling him to stop leaning over the ledge.  Allura kept huddling close to one of her boys cause men kept staring at her.  She was two seconds from beating someone’s face in.  She clung to Lance since he was closer and not leaning over the edge like an idiot.

“Okay Keith was right… this swimsuit was a bad idea.”

“It’s fine.  They’re just staring at a pretty lady.”

“They’re staring at my boobs.”  She hisses.  Lance raised an eyebrow.

“Your B cup boobs that I’m sure no one would notice?”  He teases.

“I’m a C, fuck you.”  She lightly smacks his face.  “Are we there yet?”

“Nope.”

“Aw… fuck this is boring.”  Allura hid in the crook of Lance’s neck to avoid the other people staring.  Shiro finally tugged Keith back by his hair and kept a hold in it till they got to the top.

* * *

Finally at the top.  Keith rubs his feet, the stairs had a weird texture that if you stand on long enough it’ll kill your feet.  They got on the giant inner tube, Shiro whispers to Keith.  He nods and looks at the other two.

“Who get’s scared easily?”

“Why?”  Both Lance and Allura asked.

“Just tell us!”  Shiro said.  Lance thought about it.

“I get spooked kind of easily…”

“I don’t.  Nothing really scares me.”  Allura said.  They yank Allura on their side, Lance’s eyes grew wide.

“W-Why you do this?”

“Cause it’ll be funny.”  Shiro said.  The lifeguard pushes them on the slide.  Everyone except Lance was laughing.  Lance was screaming like a bitch, every time they turned a corner the lighter side was almost upside down.

“OH GOD, OH GOD WHY!!!”

“Weeeee~”  Keith teased.  “Raise your hands in the air.”  Keith raised his hands, Shiro did as well.  Allura stayed hanging on and Lance valued his life.

“WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO MEEEEE?!”  He kept crying, everyone else kept on laughing.  They reached the bottom, they all got up except Shiro who fell over, he was still laughing.  Lance points at him.

“HA!  THAT’S WHAT YOU GET!”  Lance lightly kicks him.  “You’re a jerk.”

“You love me Lance.”

“You’re mean.”  Lance got off and waited for Shiro to get up.  They all did.  He got up and walked off.  The older two separated leaving Keith and Lance alone again.  Keith latched onto Lance’s back and smirked.

“I can see why Pidge always did this.”

“Noooooo!”  Lance groans, he wanted Keith off.  “I love you and all.  But no.”

“Carry me my prince~”

“Urg… fine where does Princess wanna go?”

“On that slide.”  He points at another slide easier to get to.  Lance fixes Keith’s position on his back and carried him over to the dumb slide.

They waited in line, Lance was behind a bigger guy and they watched the screen which showed the person on the slide, the bigger guy shot out.  Lance and Keith laughed.

“It was like hydro pump!”  Lance comments.

“He’s a pokemon!”  Keith said right after him.  Lance walks over and got on the slide.  Keith watched the screen, he didn’t see Lance come out for a bit.  Next thing he saw was Lance on his hands and knees crawling out of the slide.  Keith laughed, it was kind of cute.  Keith went on and shot out into the pool just fine.

“That big guy took all the water!”  Lance said.  “I had to crawl out of the stupid slide.”

“I saw, it was kind of cute.”  Keith sat up and pushes his wet bangs out of his face.  He gave Lance bright playful eyes.  Lance felt his heart stop.

“Not as cute as you, I’m sure.”  Lance helped Keith up.  He pouts.

“I’m not cute.”

“You need to accept the fact that you are adorable~”  Lance pokes Keith’s nose.  Keith bit his finger, Lance yelped.  Keith chuckles.

“Nom nom.”  He said in a playful voice.

“You’re lucky I love you.”  He pulls Keith away.  They spent a good twenty minutes walking around trying to find Allura and Shiro.  They gave up every once and awhile and floated in the lazy river.  They left and went on a slide that required two people.  Keith had to be in front.

“Come on Keith, it’s because you’re smaller than me.”

“By like an inch.”

“Who cares.”  The lifeguard pushed them off.  They laughed when they got down, they saw Shiro walking with Allura who had a towel around her.  She looked embarrassed.

“Guys come on.”

“What?”  Lance held onto Keith looking at the two.

“Well Keith was right about the swimsuit.”  Shiro said.  Keith’s eyes grew wide and got off the inner tube.  Lance follows behind quickly.

“You okay?”

“No… a man took my top off while I was waiting in line for a surfing ride.”  She said in a quiet tone.

“Where is the guy?!”  Lance snaps.  Shiro points at a man with a bloody nose, it was broken.  “Oh God that looks brutal.”

“Let’s just say I wasn’t too far away.”  Shiro said holding up his prosthetic arm.  Blood stained it.  Keith tried running at the guy, Shiro grabs his shoulder.  “You don’t have to hurt him.”

“Disrespects a woman!  Bastard should die!”  Keith hissed.  Lance held onto Keith and tried calming him down.

“ _ Cariño _ …”  He said quietly.  “The bastard has a broken nose.   _ Deja que sufra. _ ”  Keith looks at Lance.

“He is… what you’d say…  _ Un sucio bastardo. _ ”  He said, looking at Lance with that precious face.  He chuckles.

“Yes… _ Un bastardo muy sucio. _ ”  He nods.  “So we’re leaving?”

“Yeah, come on.”  Shiro said.  They all left the place.  Keith took a random shoe and threw it at the guy.  He didn’t know who’s shoe it was but he wanted that guy to suffer even more.  Keith glares at him and ran after the group.

* * *

The four all hung out in the hotel waiting for it to be night time.  Allura said that the next thing they were gonna do was at night so they all waited.  Lance was laying on Keith messing with his hair while he read.  Shiro laying on his stomach channel surfing.

“Nothing good is on.”  He complains.

“Nothing good is ever on.”  Keith comments.  Shiro looks at him.

“You hate TV.”  Shiro comments.  Keith just looks at his brother.

“Name one show that is good?”

“A lot.”  Shiro said.  “Some popular shows are Outlander, Game of Thrones, and Walking Dead.”

“All.  Are.  Books.”

“Walking Dead is a graphic novel.”

“All.  Are.  Books Shiro.  Keith said again.  “Plus there are more good books than shows on- GAH!”  He looks at Lance.  “Quit pulling my hair.”

“Sorry, you got a rats nest up here.”  Lance said.  He continued to brush Keith’s hair out with his fingers.  Keith flinched whenever Lance snagged his fingers on a tangled piece of hair.  “You’ve got so many snarls.”

“Piss off.”  Keith growls and went back to reading.  Shiro kept flipping through channels, the room was so quiet except for the TV.  Allura comes in and sees her boys being lazy.  She took a picture and smiles.

“Memories… ones that I’ll look back on and say “wow these fuckers are as lazy as ever.”

“Love you too.”  Shiro said.  She walks up and sat on the bed with Shiro.  He kept flipping through channels.

“Will you pick something already?”  She asks.

“I about settled with cartoons but I know Keith will get annoyed easily.”

“Damn straight I will.”  Keith comments, Lance chuckles.

“Keith isn’t watching TV so you get to pick.”

“Well if it’s my choice.”  Shiro changes it to cartoons.  Teen Titans Go was on.  The four look at the TV with a sour expression.

“Change it.”  Allura deadpans.  Shiro groans and buries his face in the bed.

“Nothing else is on.”

“Change it now.”

“Please Shiro, this show is a mockery of my childhood.”  Lance comments.

“Mine as well.”  Allura said.

“See?  This is why TV sucks.”  Keith comments.  Everyone else looked at Keith.  “Well it does.”

“Go back to your book.”  Lance comments and continued to play with Keith’s hair.  Allura watched the horrid cartoon for a bit but Allura finally got up with a smile.

“Alright boys let’s go!”  She said happily.  The three got up, Allura laughed when she saw Keith’s hair in a braid.

“What?”  He asks.

“Nothing.”  She took a picture of him when he left.

* * *

“What is this place?”  Lance asks.

“Well you both liked the arcade in our city and I heard you like mini golf.”

“NO!”

“Soooo this place has a combination of the two and it’s sixteen and older at night!”  She said happily.  Keith looked at everything and messed with his hair, then his facial expression changed.  He pulled at his hair, he stopped and looked at Lance when he heard him chuckle.

“What’s so funny?”

“You’ve ruined it.”  He said.  Keith kept pulling at his hair.  He looks at Allura who was giggling like Lance.

“What did he do?”  He asked.  Allura held up her phone, Keith shot Lance a dirty look.  “You are never touching my hair again!”  He hissed.  Lance giggles and hugged Keith from behind.

“I love your hair though.”  He said.

“You hate my hair!  I make fun of me for having a mullet!”

“You make it look good!”  Lance teases, he picks Keith up and spins him around.  Keith started screaming wanting down like he was a cat or something.  Shiro and Allura walked towards the front counter and bought wrist bands for them.  Shiro puts Keith’s on and hands Lance his.

“Thanks.”

“Shiro tell him to put me down!”

“Your boyfriend.  You tell him.”

“Put me down!”

“No!”

“Dammit Lance!”

* * *

The group decided to do mini golf first to see how mad Keith got.  Keith was already pissed because he didn’t want to play golf.  First hole was fine, second one had a turn.  That didn’t go so well.

“This is bull.”

“Keith you didn’t even hit the ball yet.”  Shiro said.  Keith looks at his brother.

“I’m gonna miss.”

“Just hit i-”  Keith hits it, it hits the wall and comes back to him.  Lance started to laugh.

“It loves you.”  He squeaks out.

“I DON’T LOVE IT!  GET IN THE DAMN HOLE!”  Keith shouts and smacks the ball harder, it rolls into the hole.  “HA!”

“Wow… enraged Keith can actually get a hole in one, who knew.”  Allura said.

“Shut up… I hate this game.”

“You made it in.”

“Still hate this game.”  Keith pouts.  The group got to a windmill, Keith points at it with his club.  “I will not let you take me down!”  He hits his golf ball and the windmill blocks it.  “WINDMILL WE ARE GONNA GO ROUNDS, YOU AND ME!”

“Keith stop threatening the windmill, people are staring.”  Shiro said hiding his face.  Lance didn’t help, he put an arm around Keith’s neck.

“YOU TELL ‘EM BABE!  SHOW THAT WINDMILL WHO’S BOSS!”

“You two please.”  Shiro begs them.  Keith and Lance continued to yell at the windmill, Allura filmed it.  Keith hit it again and the windmill knocked it back.

“OH YOU MOTHER FUCKER!  YA KNOW WHAT?!”  He shouts.  “FUCK YOU, AND YOU, AND YOU, AND YOU, AND ESPECIALLY YOU!”  He points at one random guy.  He looks down.

“Aw.”  The guy walks off trying not to chuckle.  Shiro groans while Allura and Lance were laughing.  They had fun with this.

Finally Keith made it in, he evilly laughs at the windmill.  Allura filmed him evilly laughing and dancing around it.  Lance went to the camera and points.

“That right there?  That’s my man.”  He said through laughter, Allura broke down at that.

“You are a lucky man Lance.”

“The luckiest.”  He smiles, Shiro hit his and made it through the windmill.  Keith glares at him.

“What?”  Shiro asks.  Keith hits it off the edge and points at it.

“Now you gotta redo it.”

“You are a salty bitch.”  He points out.

“Redo it!”  Keith said.

“Okay okay, little shit.”  Shiro hits it through the windmill again. Keith pouts.

“Fuck you Shiro.”

“Love you too.”  The four finished their game, and Keith came dead last.

“This game sucks.”  He said.  “No one likes it, only old people like it.”  Keith growls.  Lance looked at Keith with a raised eyebrow.

“If old people like it that means not everyone hates it.”

“So?”

“You’re… um how do you say this in English?   _ Te estás contradiciendo a ti mismo _ .”  Lance said, Keith gave him a look.

“Definition, give me the definition of what you’re thinking of.”  Keith said.  Lance thought again.

“Um… things that… opp-oppose?  That sounds right.  Things that oppose one another.”  Lance said, Keith looked at him for a moment.

“Contradict?”  He asks.  Lance nods happily.

“Yes, contradict!”

“I am not contradicting myself!”

“Old people like golf, there for not everyone hates golf.”  Lance said.

“Fuck you I’m going inside the arcade.”  He said, Lance giggles and follows him.

“Wait for me  _ Cariño _ !”

“I wait for no one.”

* * *

Lance watched Allura play one random game and getting pissed over it, it was like watching an older Pidge play.  She had severe rage.

“THIS IS BULLSHIT!”  She shouts, Shiro kept filming her.

“I’m sending this to Katie.”

“She’ll agree this is horse hockey!”

“Horse hockey?”  Lance asks Keith.

“It’s a substitute swear word.”  He explained, Lance nods and kept watching.  Keith found a racing game and grabs Lance’s arm.  “Come on Babe!”

“Where are you taking me?”

“Come and play games with me!”

“Okay okay don’t pull my arm.”  Lance said.  Keith dragged him to a racing game and Lance was losing.  “I don’t wanna play a racing game with you, I suck at racing games!”

“Yeah MarioKart taught me so much, like how you suck.”

“And you swallow, bitch.”

“You do to.”

“I refuse to play this game with you!”  Lance pouts.  Keith laughs and won the game, he threw his arms in the air and cheers.  Lance gave him a look.

“I win!”  He teased, Lance got up and walked off.  Keith got up and followed him.  He was laughing as he followed him.  They walked over to was Allura, she was freaking out.  She was smacking the buttons, they were worried that she was going to break the machine.

“I will not lo-DAMMIT!”

“It’s like you with Pac-Man.”

“That game is so stressful.”  Keith comments.  Lance looks around and found a rhythm game next to Allura’s game.

“Wanna try a rhythm game?”  Lance asked.  Keith shrugs and walks over to the game with him.  Lance started up and Keith was now acting like Allura.  He had no rhythm while Lance, who was in dance, was keeping it up well.  Keith glares at him.

“This game sucks.”  Keith mumbles.  Lance giggles and kept playing while Keith was losing.  “This game fucking sucks STOP WINNING!”

“NEVER!”  Lance shouts, they quit and he laughs at Keith.  Keith storms off.  “Keefer I love you.”

“Hatred, nothing but pure hatred for you!”

“Love!  I love you!”

“Hate hate hate hate!”  Keith argued.  Lance hugged him from behind and giggles.

“See now we both played a game we hated so let’s do something else.”

“Like watch Allura rage at Dig Dug?”

“That’s what she’s playing?  I’ve never heard of it.”  Lance admits.  Allura slams her hands on the machine.

“BULLSHIT!”  She shouts.  Lance walks up and wanted to play.  Everyone watched Lance.  He started to laugh at Dig Dug, mostly because whenever he stopped the music stops with him.  He giggles like a child.  He went under a rock and killed himself, he laughs harder.

“This game is amazing!  Why haven’t I heard about it till now?”  Lance kept laughing.

“Quit joking around Lance.”

“No I think this game is fun.”  He said.  He played that game for the rest of the night.  Shiro hung out with Lance while Allura and Keith competed in a MarioKart arcade game.  They were way too competitive, but Allura was competition.  

They left the place and were in good spirits… except Keith who lost MarioKart.  First golf then lost a game.  Not his night.

* * *

They got to the hotel and they passed out as soon as they got there.  Lance looks at the blurry ceiling while Keith cuddled to his side.  He should be use to it, he should but none of his siblings were cuddlers, he is not a cuddler.  So he’s getting use to Keith who latches onto the nearest heat source.

He tried turning away and Keith latched on again.  He groans and let himself get spooned.  Keith buried his face in Lance’s neck and mumbles in his sleep, Lance couldn’t sleep with the leech on his back but he’ll pass out soon enough.

* * *

“Wake up Babe.”  Keith kept shaking Lance, he grumbles and put his head under his pillow.  “Come on Lance.  It’s almost ten, you missed free breakfast.”  He said.  “Allura has a plan for us.”

“I want to sleep.”

“Quit being lazy.”  Keith scolds.

“I’m not lazy I’m tired.”  Lance complains.  Keith pouts at his lazy boyfriend.

“Why are you tired?”

“Cause I had something cuddle to my side all night.”

“You’ve slept with me before.”  Keith points out.  Lance couldn’t complain, they’ve shared multiple times even before they were dating.  “And you’ve cuddled to me.”

“Yeah I cuddle when I want to.  I wanted to sleep, not cuddle.”

“I can’t help it, now wake up.”  Keith said.  Lance curls up in the blankets and tried to sleep.  Keith went under and wrestled Lance out.

“NO LEAVE ME ALONE!”  Lance whines.

“Get up Lance!”

“MAKE ME!”

“I can carry you.”

“I’M STRONGER!”

“Don’t remind me.”  Keith flops on Lance and waited for him to give in.  Lance groans in pain and went back to sleep.  Keith rubs his hair violently.

“STOP IT!”

“You need to wake up.”

“I’ll wake up just leave me alone.”  Lance whines, Keith got up and waited for him to get up.

* * *

“Why the hell are we at a mall?  We have a mall at home.”  Lance asks, Keith nods in agreement.

“There are different stores.”  Allura says.  “I heard about an anime store that I want to go to.”  She says happily.  Keith looks at Lance.

“Where are you going?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well I wanted to go to a bookstore and weapons shop.”  Keith said.  “If you find somewhere you want to go tell me.”

“Really?”  Lance asks.

“Yeah.”  Keith nods.  “We’re hanging out while those two do whatever.”

“I want socks.”

“Shiro I swear if you are going to buy socks to piss me off I will kill you.”  Allura said.  Shiro started to laugh.  Lance thought this was gonna be fun.

* * *

The group split and Lance followed Keith around the bookstore.  Lance had no clue how a bookstore was fun or interesting but Keith liked it.  Seeing his face light up as he looked through all the books he’s never seen was adorable.

“Lance look at this!”

“What?”

“Lookie!”  He held up Pride & Prejudice.  “I could never find this anywhere!  Kids always took it!”

“You want to read that?”

“Yeah!”  Keith held it and ran off.  Lance followed and looked at all the books, they haunt him.  As he was staring at the shelves he lost Keith.  He looks around but not in sight.

“Great…”  Lance mumbles.  A lady walks up.

“Excuse me, do you need help?”

“Oh no, I just… lost my boyfriend.”  Lance said still looking around.  “Have you seen him?  He’s about this tall, asian, has a mullet.”

“No, I don’t think I’ve seen him.”  She said.  “Are you looking for a certain type of book?”  She asks.  Lance shook his head.

“N-No, I’m only here cause he likes to read.  Where the heck did he go?”  Lance asks himself.  “I swear he’s acting like a kid in a candy store.”  Lance said.  “ _ Como un niño. _ ”  The girl giggles.

“ _ La mayoría de la gente no actúa así en una librería. _ ”  She said.  Lance quickly looks at her in surprise.

“You-you speak Spanish?!”

“Yes all throughout high school and even college.”  She nods.  “What about you?”

“First language.”  Lance said.  Her eyes grew wide.

“Wow, you speak English so well.”  She said, Lance rubs the back of his head embarrassed.

“Not really.”  He admits.  “Yesterday I learned what inner tube was.  I’m still getting there.”

“Still impressive.”  She said.  “Can you read English as well?”

“Y-Yeah I can, it just takes longer.”

“Really?”  She said.  “You’re very smart, I wish I was that good with Spanish but I can barely read it.”  She thought for a moment.  “What’s your boyfriend’s name?”

“Keith.”

“Okay, follow me.”  She lead Lance to the front counter and took out a mic.  Lance shook his head.

“Oh God he’ll be so mad at me, and embarrassed.”

“Well we lost him so we’ll call for him and he’ll find us.”

“I’m not saying don’t.”  Lance chuckles.  “Here I have his full name.”

“What is it?”  The girl was giggling herself.  Lance whispers it in her ear and she got to the mic, it went through the whole bookstore.  “Excuse me, we are looking for a Keith?  Keith Akira Kogane?  Someone is looking for you by the counter, he says you ran off like a child.”  She turns the mic off and the two laughed.

Keith walked up looking down but you could see how red his face was.  He grabs Lance’s arm and tugs him away.

“Cannot believe you.”

“He found me~”  Lance cheers to the lady as he got dragged away.  She waves them off.  Keith bought what he found and walked out.  Lance tried getting Keith to look up.  “Look up, look up Keefer.”  Lance forced Keith’s chin up and smiled.  “There you are.”

Keith swats his hand away and kept walking.  Lance was just laughing.

“Hey I lost you.”

“I have never been more embarrassed in my life.”  Keith said.  “One minute I was looking at a science fiction novel, next minute I hear my name getting called and everyone looking around for a Keith.  As soon as I started walking up they knew it was me, all eyes were on me.  I hated it!”

“Can’t you ignore them?”

“No!”  Keith started walking faster, Lance laughs.

“I have longer legs.”

“Fuck you I will start running.”

“No please!”

* * *

Lance messed with a shuriken that was laying on the counter while Keith looked through all the knives and other weapons.  He sighs in disappointment.

“Nothing good here.”  He said.  Lance looks at him confused.

“Really?  I think everything here is okay.”

“No a lot of these blades are fake or dull.  You can tell.”

“I cannot tell.”  Lance said.  He got up and walked out with Keith.  So the weapons shop was a complete waste of time.  Keith looks at Lance waiting for him to say something.  “What?”

“Um… do you have a place you’d want to go to?”

“Not really.”  Lance said.  “Maybe we can just wander around, unless you wanna go somewhere.”

“No no… seriously though not one store… I was sure you wanted to go to-”

“What are you talking about?”

“N-Nothing!”  Keith stuttered.  “I-I mean there is one place I thought you’d like but it seems like you don’t wanna go there a-”

“What place?”

“I-It’s nothing forget about it.”

“Keith just show me what it is.”

“Um… okay you’ll probably hate it but-”

“God Keith just lead the way and show me.”  Lance started to laugh.  Keith looks at Lance and leads him off.  They went up to the third floor and found the store.  Keith points at it.

“There.  I thought of you and your siblings and well…”  Keith looks down.  Lance looks at the store and began to laugh.  It was a store that sold mainly skin care products and spa like things.

“Seriously?  You want to go in there?”  Lance asks.  Keith shook his head.

“I wouldn’t even get close to it, but it’s something you like so…”  Keith looks down, Lance grabs his arm and walks in.

“Well then let’s go in.  After this let's go somewhere we both like.”  Lance said, Keith smiles and nods.

“Alright.”  He looks at a random bottle that said sample.  “What the hell?  This is suppose to make you feel refreshed?”  He puts the sample on his face.  It started to tingle, he stiffened at the feeling.  Lance laughed.

“What are you doing Keith?”

“I don’t like this.”  He said.  Lance wipes the cream off his face with his sleeve.

“Here, you don’t need this stuff anyways  _ Cariño _ .”  Lance said.  Keith scrunched his face up as Lance wiped all the cream off, it still tingled on his skin.

“What’s that suppose to mean?”

“It means you’re blessed with beautiful skin.”  Lance said.  “Lucky bastard.”  He smiles at him and looks through everything.  “Oh Sarah would love this.”  Lance picked a random bottle of cream up, he looked at calmer scents.  “Which one would be good for Sam…”

Keith kept feeling his face, he was distracted by what Lance had said.  He doesn’t take care of his skin, well he doesn’t feel the need to.  Besides acne cream he never put anything on his face.  It’s just skin, nothing important.  The tingle never left, was it suppose to linger.

“It’s still tingling.”  Keith complains.

“Can’t help you.”  Lance looks through more products, Keith was walking around curious.  He kept trying samples, cause he didn’t learn from his first mistake, and resulted in him freaking out whenever it made him feel funny.  Lance laughs at him.

“Okay, you need to stop it.”

“I get curious!”  Keith confesses.

“And you you regret it afterwards?”

“Very!”

“So stop it.”  Lance grabs his arm and pulls him away.  Keith grabbed one more sample and tried it, same result.  Lance wipes it off.  “Keith!”

“I was curious!”

“Come on we’re leaving.”  Lance paid and dragged him away.  He was done with Keith and his “curiosity”.

* * *

The two went into a random toy store and just messed with a bunch of dollar wind up toys till the other two found them.  Allura walks in and gave them a look.

“Really you two?  How many wind up toys did you guys set off?”  She asks looking at the two who were surrounded by wind up toys.  They gave her an innocent look like they did nothing wrong.  Though they did block an entire aisle for their wind up toys.  Shiro walks over and starts to chuckle.

“Nice.”

“Shiro do not encourage them.”  Allura said.  “You two if you’re done then put those away.”  She said.  Keith and Lance kept looking at her like they didn’t want to leave their army of wind up toys.  “Come on you two.”

Lance grabs the empty bucket and the two started putting them away. 

“You two set off all of the wind up toys?!”  Allura asks.  “I can’t leave you guys alone at all can I!”  She was done.  The two laugh and put everything away.  The group walked out of the mall and spent a good thirty minutes trying to find their car.  Allura spot it and they all ran towards it happily.  They drove back to the hotel, on the way back Allura pulls out what she bought.

“So what did you boys get?”  She asks.  Keith pulls out a few books he got while Lance showed off his cream.  Allura raised an eyebrow.  “You’re into skin care?”

“Yeah, you wanna try it Allura?”

* * *

Keith and Shiro hung out on one bed with Black hanging laying on the pillows while Allura and Lance tried some of the products he had bought.  Allura flinched at the cold cream touching her face, Lance rubs it on.

“Allura you can’t scrunch your face up, this has to be smooth.”  He said.  Allura whimpers but she relaxed her face.  Lance kept spreading the cream on.  When he was done he smiles.  “Now the next step is relax and let the skin cream do it’s magic.”  He said.

Allura about touched her face.

“Another thing is do not touch your face.”

“But it’s itchy.”

“Deal.”  The two watched TV while the cream sat on their face.  Keith was leaning against his brother reading while Shiro messed with a rubix cube he bought from the store Keith and Lance started their little wind up army.  He was getting annoyed with it.

“How did Matt even solve this?”

“Why did you buy it?”  Keith asks without looking away from his book.

“I thought I could solve it.”

“Yeah but you’re dumb.”  Shiro pushed Keith off the bed and continued to work on the rubix cube.  Keith climbed back on the bed and smacked his brother in the head with his book.  The two got into a fight.  Black gave the two a look that said ‘you are all idiots’.  Allura groans at the two.

“Do not fight in here.”

“HE STARTED IT!”

“I am not dumb.”

“You two save it till we get home.”

“We can’t fight there anyways.”  Shiro says.  “We live in an apartment, it’s a lot like a hotel.”

“This is why I kind of like my house.”  Lance says.  “We can run around like morons.”  He smiles, Keith starts to laugh.

“Yeah, you do that everyday.”

“Do not!”

“You and your siblings run around the house all the damn time… well roll in Sam’s case.”

“Oh Sam has found a way to fight back.”

“What’s that?  Roll over your feet?”

“YES!”  Lance cries.  “His wheelchair rolls over your foot.  Hurts like a bitch.”

“Really?”

“Sam’s weight plus the weight of a wheelchair.  I know you suck at math but I’m sure you can add that up.”  He said, Keith flinched.  Okay that would hurt.  After what felt like hours Lance wipes the cream off of Allura’s face.

“Now feel!”  He said happily.  Allura feels her face, her eyes grew wide.

“Oh my God.  You two, feel my face!”  She commands.  Keith gave her a look like she was the weirdest person on Earth while Shiro lifts his left arm up and feels.  He smiles.

“Wow that’s soft.”

“Yeah!”  She nods.  Keith got curious and felt, it was soft.  “See?”

“Woah… it is soft.”  He said.  He runs up to Lance and felt his face after he wiped all the cream off.  “Wow… it’s softer than usual.”

“Usual?”  Shiro asks.  “You do this a lot don’t you.”

“Yes, shut up.”  Lance pouts.  “I take pride in my skin.”  Keith kept feeling his face.  “Stop it, hand down.”  He pushes Keith’s hands away, it didn’t stop him.  “Oh my God stop!”  The other two laughed and relaxed.  

Soon enough they fell asleep.  Well Lance didn’t, he had to deal with the leech again.

“Please, if you love me let me.”  Lance lurched away.  “GOOOOO!”  Keith clung on tighter and mumbles in his ear.

“Shut up before I gag you.”  That shut Lance up, who knew Keith would be fucking violent when half asleep.  He waited to fall asleep, that didn’t happen for a while.  Lance finally felt himself fall asleep but felt something fuzzy on his face.  Black decided Lance’s face was the perfect spot to sleep on.  He didn’t leave all night.

* * *

Lance groans unhappily while driving back to the city.  Keith kept waking him up just to be mean.  Lance leans away from Keith and against the window, didn’t stop him though.  He took his DS and turned it on right in his face, Lance’s eyes shot open.

“WAH!  WHY?!”

“Wakey wakey.”  

“Stop waking me up!  I couldn’t sleep at all last night because of you.”  He whines.  Keith chuckles and kept him awake.  Shiro was passed out on the passenger’s seat while Allura drove.  Lance did not like that, he took Black out of his kennel and threw him on Shiro.  Shiro woke up when he felt Black’s claws on his leg.

“AOW!  What the?!”

“SUFFER!”  Lance squeaks.  Keith broke out laughing, Allura groans and leans against the steering wheel.  This was going to be a long ride back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been drawing more for this fanfiction, if you're interested it's on my tumblr
> 
> https://jadynrosetta.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also I got an Instagram and twitter under the same username.


	45. Rebecca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://sio-the-nerd.tumblr.com/post/165757482912/this-is-a-fanart-of-rebecca-from-an-amazing-klance
> 
> Thank you so much for the drawing I love it! Check out Sio's art, they're amazing!

Lance walks into the house at night and was greeted by two little kids hugging his legs.  He smiles and looks down at the two.

“Welcome home Lance!”  Sarah said happily.

“Lances Lances!”  Rico kept bouncing with a big grin on his face.  Lance puts his bag down and got on his knees to hug the two.

“Hey you two, did you miss me?”

“Yeah yeah!”  The two nod, they bounce happily.  Sam climbs down the stairs and waves.

“Hey Lance, welcome back.”  He said, then made his way to Lance.  He stumbled a bit but managed to grab onto the couch and slowly walked over.  “How was it?”

“Fun, mostly did random stuff.”  He said.  “So how were you three while I was gone?”

“I danced!”  Sarah said happily.

“I know what you did.”

“I took her to dance.”

“Okay?”

“I’s went with-ed them.”

“You three did nothing but lay around and go to dance practice, didn’t you.”  Lance raised an eyebrow.  The three gave him a smile.

“Well yeah, we’re lazy.”  Sam said.  He walks around and lays on the couch, Lance sat on the foot of it and pulls out all the skin care products he bought.  He threw one at Sam and the other at Sarah.  The two smiled brightly.

“Nice.”  Was all that Sam said.  Sarah looks up at Lance.

“Thanks Lance!”  She pops the cap open and smells it.  “It’s berry smelling!”  Sarah said happily.  Sam was curious and pops his open and smells.

“This has a hard to identify smell.”  He said.  Lance points at the bottle.

“It’s not as strong as Sarah’s.”  Lance said.  “You want to use it?”

“SPA DAY!”  Sarah shouts, Rico smiles and nods in agreement.  Lance chuckles.

“Okay then.”  He walked upstairs, Rico follows him.  Sarah helped Sam on the floor and leaned him against the recliner.  Lance grabs all of his skin care products and other little spa things, Rico ran into Rebecca’s room and pulled out an old green folder.  He hands it to Lance.

“What is this thing?”

“Online!  Online!”  Was all that he said.  They ran back down and joined the other two.  Sarah saw what Lance was holding.

“What is that?”

“I don’t know, Rico took it.  I don’t know where he found this.”

“Becca, Becca!”  He said.  Lance looks at him confused.

“This is Rebecca’s?”  Lance asks, Rico nods.  He was curious and pulls the papers out.  Really crappy writing with the writing utensil changing.  Sometimes it’s pen, others it’s crayon.  Lance tried not to tear up seeing his sister’s handwriting and read through it.  Lance began to laugh.

“What is it?”  Sam asks.

“It’s all “Rebecca’s drinks she stole from the internet”.”  He laughs, the others began to laugh as well.  They looked through all the products on the floor and chose one.

Lance and Sam applied the cream on themselves while Sarah helped Rico.  Sarah used her new cream on herself and her eyes grew.

“Wooooo, it’s tickling my face.”  She says.  The others chuckle.  Lance walked into the kitchen and made a honeydew tarragon tonic.  He hands one to each of his siblings and they sat around in the silence, it was kind of nice.  Lance heard a little whimper, he looked at Sam who gave him the same look, they slowly looked over at Sarah who was crying over her glass.

Lance crawls over to his baby sister and gently lifts her face up, trying not to ruin her facial mask.

“What’s wrong Sweetie?”  He asks in a quiet voice.  She looks at her brother with big, sad eyes.

“I-I miss Rebecca.”  She managed to squeak out.  Everyone’s face changed from concern to sadness.  It had been about five months since she passed away, five crazy months without her.  Without someone yelling at them, someone to play with, to go to, everything.  They managed to have a happy life without her, and now it’s all coming back to them.

How quiet the house was, how lonely, how dull… everything started to sink in again.  Lance held back all his tears, he already cried enough and he’s the eldest now so he should act like it.

Sam looked at his feet while Rico stares at everyone.

“Do you think Rebecca misses us?”  He asks.  Lance messes with his glass and nods.

“O-Of course she does Rico… of course she does.”  He said, Sarah tried controlling her tears but for some odd reason this little activity was bringing back all the memories.

“Lance… I want Rebecca back.”

“I know you do… we all do.”  Lance said.  The rest of the time was painful, they talked about all the memories they had with her and that lead to more crying.  They wiped the cream off their faces and walked upstairs to go to bed, no more talking for the night.

* * *

Keith sat in the cafe the next day glaring at his phone.  He’d text Lance to come help out but he hasn’t answered his phone.  It’s eleven and still nothing.

“Where is he?”  He growls.  Coran looks over at him as he was cleaning spoons.

“Why not try the old fashioned way and call him.”

“Really?”  Keith asks.  “People still do that?”

“Don’t mock me boy, try calling him.”  Coran hit’s Keith with the towel he was using.  Keith chuckles and nods.

“Kay kay, don’t have to hit me Coran.”  Keith walks out and calls Lance, it took a while before someone picked up.  Lance wasn’t on the other line.

“God dammit Kogane I’m in the room with him!”  Sam says in an annoyed tone.  Keith looks at his phone confused.

“Where’s Lance?”  Keith asks.

“ _Está durmiendo._ ”  Sam said, Keith grabs his face and groans.

“Then wake him up.”  He said.

“No, he stayed up last night trying not to cry.  He failed miserably but…”

“What do you mean he cried?  What happened?”  Keith asked suddenly getting real defensive.  Sam sighed.

“Chill Keith, Sarah had a little episode last night because she remembered Rebecca.  That’s all.”  Keith stopped when he heard that.  It’s been awhile since Rebecca was brought up last.

“I-Is he okay?”

“Yeah, he’s sleeping it off now.”  Sam stops.  “We all had a rough night, we started talking about her and all ya know?”

“I know how that feels…”  Keith said.  “Well when he wakes up tell him I called.”

“Okay, see ya.”

“Yeah, bye.”  Keith put his phone away and walks back into the kitchen.  Coran looks over at Keith.

“Everything alright?”

“Yeah… Lance was just having some bad memories is all.”

“Bad memories?”

“He lost his sister five months ago.”  Keith said quietly.  Coran gave Keith a surprised look then looked down slightly.

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s fine.”  Keith leans against the counter.  “Those two were very close.  She would protect him like a mother would to their kid.  Honestly those two were twins, they liked the same things, did almost everything together.”

“Sounds like Lance really looked up to his sister.”  Coran said.  “No wonder it affects him so badly, that person is his role model.  He doesn’t have her to go to anymore.”  Well say it like it is Coran.  Keith had to shake his head.

“Y-Yeah, I’m gonna go.”

“Taking a break?”

“A long one.  See ya later.”

“Bye my boy!”

* * *

Sam finally got down and rests in his chair.  Sarah was watching TV while Rico fell asleep on the couch.  She must have lead him down again.

Sarah notices her brother and smiles.

“Hi Sam, is Lance up yet?”

“No.”

“Aw.”  She pouts and continues to watch, clearly she wants something.

“What do you want Sarah?”

“Everyone in my class is talking about these cute new accessories and I want one.  They’re at the mall though.”

“Are they a necessity?”

“I want one!”  She was starting to whine, Rico and Sam covered their ears.  Her and Lance, those two knew how to whine and how to use it to their advantage.

“Fine fine, I’ll go wake Lance up.”  Sam slowly got up and walked up the stairs and back into his room.  He lightly shook Lance.  “Oi, Lance wake up.”  Lance made a groaning noise and opened one eye lazily.  “Sarah wants to go to the mall to buy some lame thing, can you take her?”  He asks.

“Mmmmm.”  He rolls over and fell back asleep, that must mean no.  Sam walks over and slowly takes Lance’s wallet out of his discarded pants pockets.  He looks back at Lance to make sure he didn’t wake up and slowly climbed down the stairs.  Sam grabbed his chair and used it as a walker, he was breathing heavily.

“O-Okay Sarah… let me… let me catch my… my breath.”  He said.  Sarah runs over to Sam and rubs his back.

“Lance isn’t waking up?”

“Nope, so I’ll take you.”

“But Lance is the only one with a license besides Mamá and she’s working days now!”

“I’ll drive.”  Sam said with a smile.

“You can’t!”

“No one will know.”  Sam winks.  He grabs the keys and slowly walked out.  Sarah follows.

“B-But your legs will give out!”

“Have faith in me!”  They got out and went towards the car.  Sam slid in the driver’s seat while Sarah got in the passenger's side.  His wheelchair laid flat in the back seat.

He started the car and drove out of their neighborhood and into the city.  At one point Sam’s legs stiffened and he had to pull over.  Sarah unbuckled him and helped him move to the passenger’s side.  She sat in the driver’s side and began to scold him.

“I told you!  I told you your leg would give out on you!”  She shouts.  “I told you!   _¿Pero me escuchaste? ¡No!_ ”  She snaps, Sam looks down.

“I thought I could…”  He said sadly.  Sarah could hear the fast beating of his heart.  She pats the machine on his chest and looks at him.

“I’ll drive us to the mall.”  She said, Sam shook his head.

“No I am not endangering my baby sister.”

“It’s okay Sam, I’ll be careful.”  She shuts the door and began to drive.  “No one will know.”  She gives a wink with the trademark McClain smirk.  She put it in drive and drove into the road, surprisingly she kept the normal speed limit.  Sam was way too shocked to say anything.

Sarah was… actually driving.  Sam was screwed if Lance or Isabella found out, but Sarah was doing just fine.  He points forward.

“Next turn… that leads you straight to the mall.”

“That turn?”

“No that one.”

“So I switch lanes… right?”

“Yeah.”

“Let me turn this thingy on and here we go.”  She turns her signal on and moved over, someone next to them looked over then did a double take.  Sarah waves at them and drove down to the mall’s parking ramp.  They drove for a good twenty minutes before they found a spot.  Sarah parked and got Sam’s chair out.  Sam crawled out and used the car for support to get to his chair.

Sarah pushed him towards the lot entrance and into the mall.  They looked around trying to find the store Sarah was talking about.  Sam grew frustrated.

“Dammit, what was this place called?”

“Natalie didn’t tell me.”

“Natalie can go fuck herself.”  Sam mumbles.  The two walked around for what felt like hours.  After a while Sam pats his lap and lets Sarah take a break from walking.  He rolls them outside still searching for it.  They found an elevator and went up to another floor and explored.  Sarah finally found the store and points at it.

“I see it!”  She got up and pushed Sam in the store, a few seconds in and he hated it.  Pop music played in the glittery store, giggly girls and happy mothers, and some suffering fathers, roam the store.  He wanted out, Sarah ran in trying to find the accessory she was looking for.  He followed her.

A peppy happy girl walked over to the two.

“Hiya~ Can I help you?”  Sam literally cringed, he was okay with Sarah being cutesy but not other girls.  Sarah walked up to her.

“We’re looking for these new stretchy bracelets.”  She described them.  The girl nods and grabs a packet on the top shelf.

“These?”

“Yeah!”

“Okay is that all?”

“Uh huh!”  Sarah nods.

“Great, follow me and we can get you out of here.”  She lead the two to the register.  Sam paid and went out, Sarah opens her packet and put one on her wrist next to her hand made beaded bracelet.

“Yay!”  She jumps.  “Now what?”

“Now we go home, I ain’t spending anymore of Lance’s money.”

“Can we get food though?”

“No.”

“Aw.”  She pouts.  They walked towards the elevator but were sadly stopped.  Sam felt something kick his chair, he grunts.  He looks behind him to see his old friends, he ignored them and kept moving.  They followed him, grabbing his handles and pulls him back.  They got him in a place not a lot of people were around.

“Hey McClain.”  One mocks him, he glares at them.

“God go away.”  Sam pushed him aside and tried to move, they surrounded him.

“Hey what’s the rush?”

“Don’t you wanna hang out?”

“G-Get lost!”  Sam shouts.  “Just leave me alone!”

“How bout you make us half breed!”  Another shouts.

“Yeah, try running away!”  They pushed him in his chair.  They all laughed.

“You ain’t so tough without your brother here to save you!”

“Yeah and your brother is a weak ass faggot!”

“He is not!”  Sam shouts.

“Yeah he is, fucking butt rider!”  They all laughed.  Sam rolled over that guys foot.  “OW, LITTLE SHIT!”

“ _¡No insultes a mi hermano!_ ”  He snaps, they pushed him again.  He fell backwards, the chair tipped over.  His heart rate was accelerating, he began to gasp for breath.  It started to burn.

They laughed till something punched them, tiny little fists began to beat their backs.

“YOU LEAVE HIM ALONE!”  Sarah shouts.  They all “awed” at her and one points.

“Who’s this?”  They ask.  “A little sister?”  One grabs her, she flails in their arms.  “She’s a feisty one.”

“PUT ME DOWN!”

“Now we can see you’re a half breed, she looks nothing like you!  Unless your Mom’s a whore.”  Sam shot them a glare, he wishes he could get up.  Sarah smacks them in the face and bit their arms.  They yelped and dropped her.

“ _¡No te burles de mi Mamá!_ ”

“Little bitch!”  They pushed Sarah down, she yelps but she wouldn’t cry.  She wanted to be strong.  She ran at them again and pushed one of them.  They shoved her, tears formed in the corners of her eyes.  They laughed at Sam.

“Aw it’s cute how your sister has to protect you.  And she sucks at it!  Your whole family sucks, more than one way!”  They laughed, Sam tried to get up.  They kicked his chest, he gasps again, his chest was on fire.  Sarah punched one of them hard in the stomach, he grabs her by the hair and pulls her up.

She began to scream.  They covered her mouth to shut her up, the scum began to laugh till one of them screamed and ran away.

They looked at the guy who ran, confused.  Then a fist collided with one of their faces, specifically the one holding Sarah.  He drops her, she groans in pain but got over it.  She looks up at her savior.

“Princess!”  She says happily.  The group chuckled a bit then looked at how pissed off Keith was.  Sarah helped Sam up and hugged him, she was trying to get his breathing under control.

The group looks at Keith and tried to stay strong, didn’t work when he took a step forward.

“I am so going to enjoy ripping you all apart limb from limb.”  He chuckles in anger.  They ran, Keith ran after them.  You endangered Sam’s life and hurt Sarah to the point of tears, you’re as good as dead.

The two watched as Keith chased them around, it was kind of funny.  Sarah looks at Sam.

“Want me to mention what they called Lance?”

“He’s… pissed off… enough Sarah.”  Sam breaths in.  The burning in his chest was cooling off.

Keith comes back and grabs Sarah’s shoulders, getting on one knee to get to her level.

“Are you both okay?”  He asks like a concerned parent.  She started to cry.

“Princess!”  She hugs him.  “They hurt Sam!  They insulted Lance and hurt Sam!  I-I wanted to be strong but I got scared!”  She wails. Keith hugs her close and comforts her.

“It’s okay Sweetie.”  He said in a comforting voice.  “It’s all okay, I took care of them.  Everything is fine.”  He looks at Sam and smiles.  “You okay?”

“Better now that you’re here.”  Sam said with a smile.  Keith nods and walks towards him, Sarah still in his arms.  A few seconds later Pidge ran over with Lance, Rico was on Lance’s back holding on.  He hugs Sam and took Sarah from Keith.

“Oh my God what were you two thinking?!”  He asks in horror.  “I wake up and find you two gone with the car, what is wrong with you?!”

“Sarah was whining and wanted a bracelet so we took the car and came here and bought it.”

“Then some bullies came and beat up Sam!”  Sarah started.  “They beat him up, hurt me, and called you a butt-rider!”  Both Pidge and Keith covered their mouths trying to cover their laughter.  Lance slowly looks at them then smacks their heads.

“You two that’s really dangerous!”  He shouts.  “Pidge and I had to rush over here via taxi.”

“Uber.”

“It’s pretty much a taxi.”  Lance said.  “We’re going ho-GIVE ME MY WALLET!”  Lance took it from Sam’s lap.  “You can’t even drive Sam.”

“I drove.”  Sarah spoke up.  Everyone looked at Sam, Rico claps for his sister.  Sam whimpers.

“I-I tried to drive but my legs gave out and Sarah drove.”  He said.  “BEFORE YOU KILL ME!”  He shouts at Lance who was already taking his shoe off.  “Let me just say… she… she’s a natural.”

“Natural?”  Pidge asks while Lance continued to take his shoe off.  Keith took Rico and began to play with him.

“Y-Yeah, she knew how to drive it and everything.”  Sam said.  Lance still smacked him with his shoe and looked away.  He was worried sick and now upset that those two were so reckless.  He was both happy and upset.

Keith looks at Sarah happily.

“You should think about going into engineering.”

“What’s that?”

“A career choice to get into cars and other things like that.”

“That sounds fun!”  She bounced happily.  Lance smacked Sarah in the head too.  “YIP!”

“Bad.”  He scolds, she pouts and looks up at him.  She then ran to Keith and hid behind his leg.

“ _Oi hermano._ ”  Sam got Lance’s attention.  “We’re fine, Keith came in and saved our asses so we’re good.”

“That’s not why he’s mad.”  Pidge spoke up.  “He’s mad cause you two put yourselves in danger and then got beaten up.”  She said.

“But we’re fine.”

“Sam have you seen yourself?”  She lightly touches a bruise on his face.  “You look like shit man.”  Sam’s face blew up in a crimson color.  Lance gave him a smirk, Keith spoke up.

“Okay break it up, there a children here.”  He teased, Pidge’s eyes grew and backed off.

“S-Shut it Kogane!”  She shouts.  “I was just worried about him is all!”  She folds her arms and looks away.  Lance got in the way.

“Listen you two, I lost it when I saw you were gone.”  He stops and tried to think of what to say.  “ _Por favor, no se pongan en peligro.  Perdimos a Rebecca, yo no ... No quiero perder a nadie más. ¿Bien?_ ”  The two looked at their older brother in sadness.  Lance didn’t notice that he was tearing up, making the younger two feel worse.

They worried Lance who was already upset about Rebecca due to them bringing her up.  Keith puts Rico down and walks over to Lance, he hugged him.

“It’s okay.”  He whispered.  “Lance it’s alright.”

“I’m fine, just… just.”  He took a deep breath.  “I’m taking them home.”  He lightly pushed Keith off and grabs Sam’s chair and pushed him out, the siblings follow.  Rico runs back, hugs Keith, and runs back to his brothers side.

Pidge looked at Keith and sighs.

“He’s having memories of her isn’t he?”

“Yeah.”  Keith nods.  “He can’t let her go.  I don’t think he’s gotten over her.”  He said quietly.  She pats her friends shoulder.

“Maybe you can help him?”

“What should I do?”

“Maybe find some of her things and go through them… talk about her?  I don’t know, just help him.  You’re his boyfriend so you need to be there for him, he’s been there for you.”  She points out.  He sighs and nods, then smirks at her.

“Sooooo you were worried about Sam?”

“One more word and I’ll sock you.”

* * *

That night Lance lays on the couch looking through the elixirs again.  He saw the last one she made, watermelon cucumber elixirs.  A knock came at the door.

Lance got up and opened the door.  Keith peaks in.

“Hey.”

“Hi.”  Lance closes the door as Keith walked in.  “What are you doing here?”

“I know you’ve been remembering Rebecca lately.”  Keith said.  “I don’t know what to say really, but… I… I know what it’s like.  Definitely know what it’s like to remember someone and feeling… well upset.”

“Keith-”

“Can I ask you one thing?”  Keith asks.  Lance shuts up and nods.  “Have you been into Rebecca’s room and looked through her stuff?”

“Are you telling me to raid my dead sisters stuff?”

“I’m saying that you go through to help you remember her and maybe have some closure.”  Keith said, Lance gave Keith a surprised look.  He closed his eyes tight and nods.

“O-Okay.”  He grabs Keith’s hand.  “Come… come with me?”

“Of course.”  Keith smiles and walks upstairs with Lance to Rebecca’s room.  They turned the lights on and walked towards her closet and dresser.  Keith dug through the dresser while Lance looked through the closet.

“Hey, hey Keith.”

“What?”  He saw Lance was now in the closet, he pokes his head out.

“I’m out of the closet.”  He chuckles, Keith shook his head though he was laughing himself.

“You dork.”  He kept looking through the dresser.  Lance found her clothes and smiles at them.  Remembering when she wore them.  Her homecoming dress, her divorce court outfit, her swim suit.  Her favorite sweater that Lance wore once and she told him never to wear it again cause he looked better and she was jealous.

Keith found something and his eyes grew wide.  A purple folder covered in crayon drawings.  He opens it and looked through.

“Hey Lance?”

“Hm?”  Lance peaks out wearing Rebecca’s sweater.

“Come here and look at this.”  Lance crawls over to Keith and looked at the folder.  Lance took it and started taking everything out.  First was a child’s drawing saying “mi familia” in crayon with a picture of her father, mother, Antonio, Sam, Lance, and Rebecca.  He took out another crayon drawing that said ‘mi hermano y yo’  which was another drawing of Lance and her.  

Lance cried a bit taking them out.  He took out a letter for him, he could tell she wrote this when she was little.  He began to translate it for Keith since he was trying to read it.

“To my new baby brother Lance, I saw you at the hospital and I was so so happy to see you.  I love you lots and lots and so does Antonio and Papa.  When we get home we’re going to play together.  That’s what Mamá told me, that when you come home we’re gonna play together.  Love you Lancey Lance, love Rebecca.”

“Aw.”  Keith said.  Lance rubs the tears from his eyes and took out everything.  More little doodles, one picture of her holding Sarah when she was born.  Her kissing Sam’s cheek, an old picture of her trying on glasses with Lance.  Her with Sam and Lance in dance outfits, another picture of her dancing with Sarah, Lance, and Sam.  And at last a picture of all the siblings, including Antonio, when they first came to America.  She was hugging Lance while all the kids held up green cards.

Lance kept smiling at them, all those pictures she treasured.  Then one little envelope.  Lance picks it up and saw it had his name on it.  It was cleaner hand writing.

He opened it and read it.

‘Lance,

Okay I’ve re written this thing five times or so and I don’t know if I’ll even give it to you.  Also I might not spell somethings right because English and stuff but I’ll try my best.  So you have told me your secret.  That you were bisexual, and I feel awful when I encouraged you to tell our family.  It’s all my fault that you got hurt, that he beat you down.  I wanted to help, wanted to save you.

I am so sorry I was such a coward Lance.  I would hear your cries and pleading to Papa, telling him that you were sorry and you’ll change.  But Lance, please don’t change.  Never change.

You are a great person Lance.  You are funny, kind, charismatic, smart, and beautiful.  Never change, never wish you were someone else.  Cause someday you will meet someone and they will be lucky to be by your side (or should I say bi?  Ha ha I’m terrible).  You are going to get through school, do something that I couldn’t do.  And someday you’ll be with someone you will love, no matter who they are.

Remember you are an amazing person Lance, remember who you are and where you came from.  You know pain and you are strength, my strength.  Thank you for being my inspiration, my rock, my brother.  I love you Lance, never forget that.

Love Rebecca.’

Lance took his glasses off and cried.  He bawled his eyes out, all the tears he had for her before came out again.  He never knew he meant so much to her.  Keith nuzzled into Lance’s neck and lets him cry.

Lance looks at Keith and hugs him.  He brought him close, Lance just whimpers as Keith held him.

“I-I miss her.”

“I know you do.”  Keith said.  “I know.”  Though it hurts it is closure.  Rebecca never gave Lance that letter, though she wanted to.  Now he knows, now she can fully rest.  She was at rest.  Lance knew what he meant to her, and he wasn’t alone anymore.  He had someone, someone that was lucky to have him, a new rock that no matter what will always be there for him.  Like she was for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)


	46. Brothers=Heroes

“Okay so why did I have to sneak through the kitchen window?”  Keith asked slightly annoyed.  He wanted to take Lance out and Lance told him not to come close to his house, when Keith asked why Lance simply said just park far away and sneak through the kitchen.  Lance and Sarah were peaking through the living room window.  The other two siblings were too scared to get close.  Lance made a motion that said come close and look.

Keith slowly walked up to the window and saw a swarm of bats hanging on the deck.  Keith just stared at the roof above them.  Bats almost covered the thing.

“Holy shit.”  Keith mumbles.  “When did this happen?”

“Last night.”  Lance said.  “Mamá walked out and saw all the bats.  She slowly walked down trying not to disturb them then texted me saying don’t leave the house.”

“So you’re stuck?”

“Yeah.”  Lance nods.  “Well she’s been calling people but so far no one has been brave enough to deal with all the bats.”

“ _Es un montón de murciélagos._ ”  Sarah said, Keith raised an eyebrow trying to figure out what she just said.  Sam translated.

“She said it’s a lot of bats.”

“Yeah… yeah there are many many bats up there.”  Keith looks at everyone.  “So now what?”

“Stay in here and wait for them to leave.”

“Lance they think this is their home now.”  He points out.  “You’ll have to deal with this one way or another.”  Lance pouts and stayed put.  Sarah yanks on Keith’s sleeve.

“Wanna play Mario Party?”

“Huh?”

“Oh yeah you don’t play games much.”

“I-I’m slowly getting into it.  Allura’s getting a wiiU soon.”  Keith says.  Lance rolls his eyes and pulls him towards the TV.  They turned the game on and picked their characters.  Sam joins them while Rico watched.

The game started and they all got competitive.  Poor Rico covered his ears.  Sam saw the mini game that was picked.

“No, no I suck at this.”  He pouts.  Sarah smiles.

“GO FOR SAM!”

“Don’t go for Sam!”  He whines.  They all went for Sam.  “NO NO NO FUCK YOU!”  The rest laughed, in the end Sarah won the mini game.  They continued playing, soon enough Keith started raging.

“Why am I so far behind?!”

“Because you suck.”  Lance teases.  Keith wanted to scream, he lost the next minigame.

“GOD DAMMIT!”  He shouts.  “FUCK YOU SAM!”

“Mwahahahaha!”  Sam evilly laughs.  Sam won in the end and laughs at his siblings.  “Finally, I finally won!”

“This game sucks.”  Keith pouts.

“You suck.”  Lance deadpans.

“And you swallow.”  He smirks, Lance pushed him.

“ _¡Tienes la mente sucia!_ ”  He shrieks, Keith laughs as he was being pushed.  Sam watches for a minute then grew an evil smirk.  Time to make it worse.

“Girls girls girls, you both suck and swallow.  I mean you like it like that right?”  They both attacked Sam.  “I REGRET NOTHING!”  Lance took him out of his chair while Keith ran off with it.  Lance threw him on the couch and grabs Sarah cause she was gonna go get his chair from Keith.

“NO!  HE NEEDS IT!”  She yells.  Lance smiles as he held his little sister back.  Sam thought it was funny, he held his chest as he laughed.

“I-It burns but I can’t stop-stop laughing!”  He says through his fit of laughter.  Sarah wiggles out of Lance’s grasp and tries to calm Sam down.  Rico was just watching the chaos around him.  Meanwhile the bats did not move.

* * *

The siblings sat around the house still bored out of their minds since they cannot leave, Sarah was back to staring at the bats.  Keith runs into the living room happily holding his phone.

“Guys guys guys!”

“What?”  Lance asks trying to calm Keith down.

“Shiro said he’d get the bats!”

“He would?”  Lance asks.  Keith nods while bouncing at the toes.  “Why does he want to help?”

“He’s got a metal arm, he said he’d grab them with the arm.”  He said.  “He’ll be here soon so we wait.”  Everyone sighs and waits for Shiro, Sarah went back to bat watching.

* * *

Keith saw Shiro walk over with Matt and Pidge.  He climbed out the kitchen window and walks towards them.

“Hey Shiro, why are you two here?”

“You said many bats.  So we thought we could help.”  Matt said.

“I just wanna see all the bats.”  Pidge admits.  “Where are they?”

“Right under that roof above the deck.”  Keith said.  She walks up to it and runs back in fear.

“T-That’s a lot of fucking bats!”  She said.

“Yeah, how are you two gonna catch them?”

“I have a cage.  I’ll throw them in here.”  Shiro held up Black’s kennel.  Matt held up a trap.  Pidge had a bag.

“Pidge that is the most inhumane thing ever.”

“You want the bats here?”  She asks, he didn’t answer.  “No.  Screw their comfort.  Also they’re animals, they won’t know the difference.”  She puts gloves on with Matt and Shiro handed Keith some gloves too.

“You’re helping.”  Shiro said, Keith groans.  He didn’t want to touch the bats.  But he was now pulled into it.  Shiro reached up and grabbed a bat with his metal arm.  It squeaks as it got held and he threw it in the kennel.  He continued to grab them.  The Holts followed and did the same thing.

Keith put them in the bag like Pidge.  Soon enough they started to fly, Shiro was the only one who stayed standing and kept grabbing at them.  The other three hit the deck and waited for them to stop flying.

“You guys are great help.”  He said.  “Get up before I step on one of you.”  That got Keith up, he didn’t want Shiro to step on him.  Matt and Pidge got up moments later to finish up with the bats.

The four collected the rest of the bats and put them in the back of Matt’s car.

“Shiro and I can take them to the wild.  Keith you can take Katie home right?”  Matt asks.  Keith nods.  “Cool, see ya at home Katie.”  The two drove off.  Pidge immediately ran in the house.

“Wait Pidge!”  Keith followed her.  “I’m suppose to take you home!”

“I wanna see Lance’s house!”  She saw Lance and tackled him down.  He shrieks.  “I FINALLY KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE!”

“Why?!”  He pushed her off.  “Keith why is she here?”

“She wanted to see the bats.  She helped.”  Keith said.  “Now she’s here.”

“Greaaaaat.  Get off.”  Lance pushed her off.  She chuckles and rolls on the floor, Sarah began to wrestle with her.

“LANCE YOUR SISTER IS EVIL!”

“FIGHT ME PIDGEY!”

“Please calm down you two.”  Lance whines.  The two did not calm down, well at least Sarah was a decent challenge.  He looks at Keith, who was still watching the fight, and never asked why he wanted to come over.  “By the way, why did you want to come over?”

Keith looks at him with a raised eyebrow, then he remembered.  He looks away from Lance pouting, face red.

“N-No reason.”

“Okay Grumpy.”  Lance smirks, Keith glares at him.  He does not appreciate the new nickname.  “I know you well, you’re hiding something.”

“I am not.”

“Then why are you pouting?”  He asks, Keith looked away again.  “Keith~”  Nothing.

“I-I was bored so I came over.”

“You come over unannounced all the time, why ask?”  He smirks, Keith refused to look up.

“I-No-No reason.”  He stutters, trying to sound tough but failing miserably.  Lance waited for him to give in and say it.  Keith broke after five minutes.  “I-I wanted to ask you… ask you if you wanted to… you know.  H-Hang out?”

“You mean a date?”  Lance asks with a smirk.  Keith’s face turned a bright shade of red and looked down again.

“No!  You know what?  Forget it, you’re watching your siblings anyways.”  Keith said, well more like stuttered into an awkward mess but who cares.

“I can watch over them.”  Pidge said with a smile, Sarah holding her in a headlock.

“Uh… you sure?”

“Yeah it’s fine.  You two don’t go on dates often so go.”  She pushed them out the door.  “Go on, Sam can help me if I need it.”

“I’ll what now?”  Sam asks in fear.  Lance just looks at Pidge and tried getting her to stop pushing them.

“Alright alright!”  He said.  “Sarah, Rico, I’ll be back soon!  Please be good for Pidge.   _Keith y yo estaremos de vuelta pronto._ ”  He said.  Sarah and Rico nod happily, Keith and Lance were out the door.

Pidge closes it and looks back at the kids.

“Sooooo how do I take care of you guys?”

“Oh my God we’re gonna die…”  Sarah said in a quiet voice.

* * *

“So what are we doing?”  Lance asks.  Keith looks at him then back at the road.

“You’ll see.”

“Oh I have to wait?”  He asks.  “ _Vete a la mierda._ ”  He teased, Keith chuckles.

“Whatever.”  Lance watched outside.

“Please tell me we aren’t skating again.”

“No, not quite.  You’ll like it I’m sure.”  Keith smiles at him.  Lance just smiles back and looks out the window.

“I’m sure.”

* * *

Pidge looks at the people in the house, they awkwardly stared back.  Finally she broke the silence and gave them a dorky yet nervous smile.

“Okay I know you’re Sarah.”  She points at Sarah, she nods happily.  “And I believe you are Rico?”  Rico’s eyes grew wide and runs over to Sam.  He climbs on his chair and cuddles into his older brother.  He’d look back at Pidge then hide in Sam again.  She raised an eyebrow and looks at Sam.

“He’s really shy.  He’ll be comfortable with you if he gets to know you.”  He said.

“Really?”  Pidge gave him a questionable look.

“Yeah, it took him about a month to finally start talking to Keith.”  He said, Pidge was still skeptical.  Sam got Rico to look at him.  “You love Keith right.”

“Kei Kei!”

“Do you like him?”

“ _Me encanta Kei Kei._ ”  He said happily.  Sam about translated but Pidge held her hand up.

“I think I got it.”  She sat down and pulled her DS out.  Rico curled into Sam and listened to his monitor while Sarah ran upstairs and then back down with a coloring book and crayons.  Rico started to go along with the monitor.

“Beep… Beep… Beep.”

“You’re silly.”  Sam said quietly.

“Beep beep.”  He said to his brother.

“Yeah, it’s beeping.”

“...  … Beep… Beep.”

* * *

Keith stops at a large parking lot and got out.  Lance follows and had to ask.

“Where are we?”

“I’ve heard of people are age coming here all the time and I thought it would be fun!”  Keith said with a smile.  He grabs Lance’s hand and runs inside, they were introduced with a lot of people, food, small arcade, pool table, lots of colorful lights, music, and the main thing, bowling.

“Bowling?”  Lance asks.  He started to smile.

“Do you want to play?”

“Of course, let’s go!”  The two ran in and bought a lane and shoes.  They picked a ball and began to play.

“Just to let you know I suck at this.”  Lance said.

“I’ve never played before so.”  Keith said.  Lance smiles at him.

“Well we can fail together.”  He said sweetly.  Keith rolled his eyes.

“Kay Babe.”  They started and they got more gutterballs than pins hit.  After one game Lance pats Keith’s head to keep him from raging.  He was calm at his boyfriend’s touch but he still pouts.  “I hate this game.”

“You hate every game.”

“I hate this one.”

“I know.”  Lance said.  “Another round?”

“No.”

“So I win?”

“No, I clearly won!”  Keith points at their scores, Lance smiles.

“But you admit defeat.”

“No I do not!  I won, you lost!”

“So mean my boyfriend is.”  He teases.  He starts up another game.  “This time I’m gonna beat you.”

“You’re on.”

* * *

Sarah watched Pidge play FE for a few moments before asking a ton of questions.

“Who’s that?”

“That’s Alm.”

“Who’s that?”

“That’s Python.”

“Who’s that?”

“That’s Kli-”  Kliff dies.  “He’s dead.”

“Rest in peace.”  Sarah salutes.  She saw who Pidge was moving now.  “Who’s that?”

“Lukas, don’t you have anything better to do?”

“Who’s tha-?”  Pidge turned her DS off, she was sick of Sarah’s game of “who’s that” and she was losing that round anyways.

“Alright, let’s do what Sarah wants to do.”  She said.  Sarah thought about what to do.  She gave her a big smile.

“Play wiiU with us!”

“Okay, something Katie here likes to do.”  She said.

“Sam, Rico come play games!”

“Don’t wanna.”  Sam said, Rico kept cuddling to Sam not wanting to get close to Pidge.  The two girls started up a game and picked Nintendoland.  They played for a bit before the two girls got competitive.  The boys watched and tried not to laugh, less you want to get on their bad side.  This lasted an hour.

* * *

“So I hold it like this?”  Lance asks holding a cue at the pool table.  Keith shook his head, Lance wasn’t holding it right.  He walks up to Lance and positioned him again.  “Soooo like this?”

“Position your fingers like this.”  Keith made an example.  Lance tried it.  “No, no.  Move the cue between your fingers.  Not there, move it there.”

“Don’t get snippy with me mister.”  Lance points at his chest.

“Why aren’t you getting it?  I wouldn’t be snapping at you if you weren’t being such an idiot.”  Keith said in a cold tone.  Lance gave him a bored look then smacks his head with the back of his hand.  It didn’t hurt but it caught Keith off guard.

“ _Eres un maestro horrible. Culparte a ti mismo._ ”  Lance grumbles.  He finally got into position and hits it knocking the balls on the table everywhere.  Keith walks over to where the ball stopped and knocked a striped one in a pocket.  The game began.  

After a bit Lance was starting to get it and it became a goal to beat Keith at pool.  They have a healthy relationship.

“Remember you got the solid colors so you have to save the eight ball for last.”  Keith reminded.

“Huh?”  Lance got up and looks at him.  “Why is that one last?”  Keith shrugs.

“I dunno.”

“Great explanation coach.”  Lance was avoiding the ball though.  Keith walks over and got into position.  He seemed focus on aiming which was the perfect opportunity to mess with him.  Lance got as close as possible, then smacked his ass.  That made Keith jump which caused him to knock the cue into the ball and hit the eight ball causing it to fall in a pocket.

Lance was laughing while Keith quickly turned around at him face pure red.

“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!”

“You gotta nice butt.”

“SO YOU SMACK ME?!”

“I saw an opportunity so I took it.”

“WE’RE IN PUBLIC!”

“Again, I saw an opportunity to touch your butt so I took it.”  Lance said.  Keith started pushing him causing Lance to giggle and pushed back.  They were causing a scene but they didn’t seem to notice.  Keith finally stopped and walks back to the pool table and sets it back up, he refused to look at Lance.

“Are we starting another game?”  Nothing.  “You can’t ignore me Kogane, I know you can’t.”  Keith smirks, Lance started poking Keith’s cheek.  He was holding back a giggle.  “I know that smile Sweetie.  You’re trying not to laugh.”  It was getting harder to hold back.  Keith had to rest his head on the pool table, his shoulders jumped slightly.

“ _Cariño_ …”  Lance started to laugh.  “Y-You’re- Stop it you’re making me laugh.”

“Get away from me.”  He was trying to sound threatening but his slight chuckle gave him away.

“But I love you!”  Lance hugs Keith, he gave in and started laughing.  “Aw you have such a cute laugh Baby~”  He nuzzles into Keith’s cheek.  The laughter started to die down, Keith wipes his eyes free of tears.  He pushed Lance off and smiles at him.

“Quit being gross.”

“GROSS?!”

“Come on, let’s at least finish a game of pool.”  Keith sets up another game.  Lance sighs and smiles.

* * *

It became night soon enough.  Sarah was listening to Antonio’s old ipod while coloring.  Rico was asleep in Sam’s lap, the soft beeping became a lullaby.  Pidge was playing echoes again, she noticed Rico asleep and sighs.

“That kid really doesn’t like me.”  She said.  Sam looks up at her and gave her a confused look.

“What makes you say that?”

“He acted like I was a killer or something.”

“He’s shy Pidge.”  Sam points out.  “Rico has a harder time trusting people.  I don’t know what caused it but people scare him.”

“Do you think it’s trauma?”  Pidge asks, Sam cocks his head to the side telling her to explain.  He looks so much like Lance that it scares her.  “Well I mean, early childhood trauma?”  An eyebrow raised.

“Rico has seen horrible things right?”  Pidge asks.  “I remember when your Father came back and-”  Sam looks down and rubs Rico’s back to keep the kid asleep.  Pidge noticed Sam was upset by something.  “Sam?  You okay?”  He started to cry a bit.

“ _¡Ese monstruo no es mi padre!_ ”  He shouts, Pidge was taken aback.

“I’m sorry I don’t understand.”  She said.  Sam took a deep breath and repeats what he said in english.

“That monster is not my Father.”  Sam looks down.  “He hurt all of us, he physically abused Mamá and Lance…”

“I got that much down from last time.”

“No, he really hurt them.”  Sam said.  “I remember hearing Lance cry every night.  Some nights he’d sneak out of bed and sleep with someone else.  Hell I once found him next to Rico in his crib.”  Sam took a deep breath.  “It’s not my story to share but… when Lance came out to us… let’s just say Sarah and Rico’s screams, they’ll haunt you forever.”

Sarah ran upstairs after hearing that.  The elder two didn’t notice that she heard that, Sam sighs.  The two could hear her crying from upstairs.

“I don’t know how well Rico remembers it, but maybe it ties into why he’s so shy.”  Sam said.  “I also think he’s just timid.”

“What about you?”  Pidge asked.  “That man changed everyone, how did it change you?”  She asked again, he looks away and took a deep breath.

“Look at me now.”  Sam said.  “Moving to a new country, that man abusing us, then moving, Rebecca dying, that man coming back and making it worse, now I’m here… handicapped.”  He said.  “I can’t even do the things I like anymore, I can’t dance... not like Sarah or Lance.”

“You look up to Lance, don’t you?”  She asks, Sam nods.

“Yeah, I’ve always admired him.  He’s the reason I started to dance.”  Sam said, then a smile grew on his face.  “As soon as the divorce was over Lance started to take charge.  Then Rebecca passed away, it hit him hard… but Kogane got him up and he became more like a father, way better than ours.  But he was still like a brother.  He takes care of us, even Mamá.”

“No matter what happens Lance has a smile on his face, he finds a reason to be happy… even if it’s fake.  He’s my hero…”  Sam noticed that he was babbling on like and idiot and started to blush.  “Um, sorry this sounds odd.”

“No no I understand!”  She smiles.  “My brother is my hero too!  Matt’s amazing, I want to be just like him.”

“Really now?”  Sam became interested.  

“Matt’s a pilot and well someday he might go into space and stuff.  I wanna do that too!”

“Be an astronaut?”

“Yeah!”  Pidge nods.

“Sounds like something you’d do.”  Sam said.  Pidge smiles at him.

“But as I was saying, Matt’s my hero too.  Also Keith told me about Shiro, he never said what happened but Shiro literally saved Keith’s life once.  Also Keith really admires Shiro, and they aren’t even blood related.  Our brothers are our heroes.”

“At least I don’t sound like an idiot.”  Sam said, Pidge chuckled a bit.

“Oh if you did I’d tell you.”

* * *

“Admit it, you suck at pool.”  The two drove back to Lance’s house with Lance pouting like a big baby.

“Shut up before I break up with you.”  Lance pouts, Keith smirks.

“Would you?”

“In a heartbeat.”  Lance said coldly.  Keith kissed him and kept that same smirk.  “IN A HEARTBEAT!”

“Yeah yelling doesn’t make your lie any more believable.”  Keith was being a little shit, Lance grumbles and got out of the car.  “Don’t be like that Babe.”

“I don’t wanna talk to you, you cheat.”

“I didn’t cheat.”  Keith said happily.  He followed Lance inside and saw Pidge, Sam, and Rico all passed out in the living room.  What surprised Lance was Rico was curled into Pidge on the recliner, fast asleep.  He smiles and covers the two up.

“You gonna go home?”  Lance asks while moving Sam to the couch and covering him up as well.

“Hm, dunno.”  Keith shrugs.  “I’m gonna go see if Sarah is upstairs.”

“Hey I can do tha-”  Lance couldn’t finish when Keith came right back down and clung to Lance in fear.  “Woah Keith what’s wrong?”

“One got in your house.”

“What?”  Lance asks, Keith started mouthing out ‘there’s a bat upstairs’.  Lance got up and ran upstairs, Keith right behind him.  Keith points at Isabella’s room, Lance slowly peaks in and the bat flies by.

“YIP!”  Lance ran to Keith and tried to hide in him.  “G-Get rid of it!”

“Wait why me?!”

“Cause it freaks me out and you’re the Alpha!”  Lance whines.

“No, you be the Alpha!”

“When we first met you said you wanted to be the Alpha in a relationship!”

“So?”

“SO BE THE ALPHA!”

“Okay okay.”  Keith shuts the door to the room.  He comes back with a sheet and opened the door and quickly threw it in and shuts it.  The two stood there for a moment.

“Well what did that do?”  Lance asks.  Keith shrugs, he didn’t know what to do either.  Lance slowly opens the door.  The bat flew out, the two boys scream and run down the stairs and out of the house.  Lucky for those two the bat followed them outside.

Pidge woke up slightly and looked around rubbing her eyes.  She saw nothing, she shrugs and covers herself, and Rico, up more and fell back asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I am alive and I'm sorry for not posting in like... a month. :(  
> I am about to die from all the hype for season 4 like I can't even! First my baby and his pet cow, Pidgey being a badass, Keefer training with the blade and OH MY GOD I CANNOT WAIT!  
> So enjoy this chapter, I'm in school right now and about to go to accounting. See you later all you lovely people.


	47. Scooters and Detention

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to my sister DaakuKitty for helping out with the idea of this chapter. As for the story, it'll go into the fifties and maybe past the sixties, I have one more big thing that is going to happen and then it'll be the end.   
> Also you all should know... my college professor found this story and has read some of it... (yes I'm embarrassed).

School for the group lately has been rushing to finish projects and names getting in for scholarships or students planning their futures.  The four already have their futures planned out for the most part.

At lunch they all ate and talked about it.

“So us three are going to the same college.”  Pidge said to Keith and Hunk.  “You’re going to be in a slightly different area though.”

“Being in the air is not my thing.”  Hunk said.

“And Lance is just going to work in a cafe?”  She asks.  Lance nods.

“I’m working with Allura.  I’ve told you guys before no-”

“Do not say a college won’t accept you or I swear to God I will kill you.”  Keith said.

“Jeez!”  Lance stares at Keith.  “Love you too.”

“What about after college?”  Pidge asks.  “I’m probably going to live with my mom still since I’m young, but you guys?”

“Probably move out.”  Hunk said.  “You two gonna get a place together?”

“Yeah.”  Lance nods.  “If Keith’s okay with it.”

“I practically live with you now.”

“True.”  Lance said.  “It’s kind of odd talking like this.”

“What do you mean?”  Pidge asks.

“Well beggining of this year we talked about videogames and about Keith before he became a friend, also we threw candy at each other.”

“What did you guys say about me?”  Keith sounded offended, Lance ignored him.

“So it’s so odd that we’re talking about… well… our futures and stuff.”  Lance rests his chin on his hands and stares at everyone.  “Feels like just yesterday I was the awkward new kid.”

“Damn yesterday?  So much has changed since then.”  Pidge teased.  Lance smirks and leans against Keith.

“It’s mostly good change.”  Lance said happily.  Keith smiles at him, Pidge made a gag noise.

“Okay lovebirds.  Knock it off before you make someone hurl.”  She teases, the two look at her then smirk at each other.  “No you two, don’t do anything else, I swear to God please don’t!”

“Why not?”  Lance asks, he looks up at Keith and runs his fingers through his hair.  “He’s so pretty I can’t not stare.  You take my breath away  _ Cariño _ .”  Lance says in a sweet voice.  Keith giggles like a child and rests his forehead on Lance’s.

“ _ Te quiero mucho. Eres mi sol. _ ”  He said, Lance actually felt his heart skip a beat.

“ _ Oh mi amor. _ ”

“KNOCK IT OFF!”  Pidge shouts.  “You two can act like that when you’re alone, not with us!  Hunk and I don’t wanna see it.”

“I honestly don’t mind it.”  Hunk admits.

“Shut up and be on my side!”

“Thank you Hunk.”  Lance said happily, Pidge hisses at them.

* * *

Lance and Hunk got changed and talked like usual, as soon as Hunk was done he left the room.  Lance runs over to the other part of the changing room and hugs Keith from behind, Keith was still shirtless and gave Lance the most unamused look ever.

“I’m changing.”

“And I’m hugging you.”  Lance nuzzles into the back of his neck.  Keith tried wiggling out but Lance had a tight grip on his torso.  “Nooooo don’t leave me!”  He whines, Keith chuckles a bit.

“Come on Lance, I’ve gotta change.”

“Let me admire you for a bit longer.”

“I don’t want Coach to yell at me again.”

“But Sweetheart!”

“But nothing.”  The two kept playfully arguing while the guys around them grew uncomfortable again.  Everytime Lance did this it made things awkward.  They didn’t mind the relationship, just why flirt in the locker room of all places?

“Can you two just stop?  It’s gross.”  One guy spoke up.  Lance and Keith both look over not saying a word.  He noticed their staring and spoke up again.  “Look, it’s nasty and uncomfortable and it’s just… why flirt in here of all places?”

“Why do you stick your tongue halfway down your girlfriends throat in the hallways?”  Keith asks, the kids face turns red.

“That’s-That is-”  He tried speaking but Keith cuts him off.

“If you ask me, your “public display of affection” is way more disgusting than ours.  You don’t like it?  Then look away, no one is forcing you to watch.”  Keith hissed.  Lance smiles and nuzzles into Keith’s hair humming happily.

Hunk walks up to them and pries Lance off.

“Come on you two.”

“What?  We were doing nothing.”  Lance said in a cute little voice.  Keith chuckles and wiggled his shirt on.

“Yeah right.  You two were being all cuddly again.  I shouldn’t have to come back in here to separate you two.”  Hunk said, he sounded tired.  He carried Lance out onto the gym, Keith followed.  They met up with Pidge and Lance got out of Hunk’s strong grasp.  He wraps his arms around Keith and cuddled him again.

The class was playing with scooters that day, pick between six colored scooters and then play a game.  Seniors loved the scooters, they played with them since kindergarten, unless you are not from the city… or country.

Lance picked up a blue scooter and stared at it.  Keith had a red one and looks at Lance.

“What do I do with this thing?”  He asks.  Pidge rolls by on a green scooter screeching like an animal, she was loving life.

“ _ ¿Te sientas en esto y giras? _ ”  He asks.  Keith looked at Lance then back at his scooter, Lance continued to ask questions.  “ _ ¿Así que estos son scooters traseros? _ ”  He asked.  Keith was trying to understand Lance at the moment.

“My Spanish is very limited Lance.”  Keith reminded him.  Hunk walks up to them with a yellow scooter.  Lance held up the scooter and smiles.

“Butt scooters!”  He said happily.

“Uh yeah, that is what those are called.”  Hunk said.  Lance looks at the scooter.

“Wait are you serious?”

“Yeah, those are called butt scooters.”  Hunk said, Lance sat down and rolls away happily.  Keith sat down and started to spin in circles, Hunk sat down and joined Keith in the spinning game.

Coach came out and splits the teams.

“Warm color scooters vs cool colored scooters.  Game of tag, go.”  He said.  They all separated into teams and started tag.  Pidge yells at Hunk and Keith.

“You two!  Yeah you two, we’re going to kick your warm scooter asses!”

“Don’t fucking swear in class!”  Keith shouts back.  Lance shouts with Pidge, Hunk hid his face in shame.  He doesn’t know them.

The game got intense and after a bit and it had a lot of shouting from three out of the four.  Coach was tired of them, if they kept this up then someone’s going to have to punish them.  Keith and Pidge wouldn’t stop, Lance did because people chased him since he didn’t know how to use the scooters at all.

Keith saw Lance struggle with the scooter and felt some pity.  He gave him advice.

“Babe!”  He calls.  Lance looks over while running away, well scooting away but same premise.  Keith kicked at the ground, going backwards.  “Use those sexy legs of yours!”

Lance smiles and kicks the way Keith showed him.  Lance got away, he started to laugh.  

“Catch me if you can!  My beautiful, sexy legs will be the death of you all!”  Lance evilly laughs as he kicks away.  Keith scoots by.

“Damn right they’ll be.”

“They’ll kill you in a different way Love~”  Lance teases.  Keith turned beat red.  He chokes on spit and crashed into a wall, fucking smooth.  Pidge rolls up to Keith and tags him.

“HA!  You’re out!”  She says happily.  Keith started chasing her.  “NO YOU’RE OUT!”  Keith didn’t care, he chased her across the gym.  Hunk wanted no part in it.

“Stop running from me you piece of shit!”

“Let me live Kogane!”  She shouts back.  “Not my fault you get distracted by that fine piece of ass!”

“I WAS NOT DISTRACTED!”

“YOU CAN’T HIDE YOUR HORNY THOUGHTS FROM ME!”

“Why are you two shouting about that?”  Hunk asks.  “Like seriously we aren’t the only people here, there is like… twenty of us in here.”  He had no clue why those two felt no shame, that is why they are best friends, they don’t give a shit about what others think.

“How about you play Hunk?”  Coach asks.

“Yeah no.”  He starts.  “I’m the shape of a perfect circle and thus I cannot get away fast enough.”

“Just move.”

“Nah I spun a little… got my exercise for the day.”

“Hunk I am not giving you an option, now get involved or-”

“DIE YOU MOTHER FUCKER!”  Pidge rams into Keith and quickly scoots away.  Keith grabs her leg and yanks her off her scooter.  “Ow…”

“Now you’re out!”

“NO I’M NOT!”  She began to kick, Keith dodged.

“H-Hey watch it!”

“I’LL KICK YOUR BALLS SO HARD THEY’LL GO UP YOUR THROAT!”

“I’ll punch your chest!”

“You wouldn’t!”

“Try me!”

“Why are you two like this?”  Hunk asks.

“Why aren’t you moving?”  Coach asks.

“Because I am a freaking circle and Katie will chase me.”  Hunk points out.  Pidge snickers evilly, as soon as she heard that she rolls towards Hunk.  “Pidge please.”  He whines.

Keith crashes into her and rolls her far away.

“NOOOOOOOOOOO!”  The two roll to the other end of the gym, Keith stops himself while Pidge hit the wall.

“WARM SCOOTERS RULE!”  He shouts as he kicks away, and accidentally went out into the hallway crashing into a few lockers.  Coach groans, he was sick of them and it’s only been about ten minutes.  Maybe scooters wasn’t a good idea.

Pidge began to chase Hunk around, he eventually got sick of it and stood up and chased her around.  She shrieks but didn’t get off her scooter, she rolled away which is actually slower than running.

“Hunk you need to- to be on your scooter Jesus fucking christ…”  Coach was done.  As soon as class was over Coach walks up to Pidge, Keith and Hunk.  He hands them a slip and walks away.

“Aw man.”  Pidge says while looking at her detention slip.  Keith said nothing, it was a regular thing for him.  Hunk reads his.

“Why?  Why am I suddenly getting these now?”  He whines.  Lance walks over and laughs at them.

“Ha ha you three got in trouble!”  Lance mocks them.  Coach walks over and hands Lance one as well.  The three laughed back at him.  He pouts.  “Oh great...Mamá is not gonna be happy with me.”

* * *

The detention room had it’s usual people in there.  Hunk sat there looking around again.

“This is where future prisoners go to, all the trouble makers and delinquents!  I don’t belong here, I’m a good student!  My Mom is gonna kill me when she finds out I got another detention!”  Keith was sitting right next to him with a pissed off face.  He was not going to end up in prison, fuck you Hunk.

“Oh boo hoo, mi Mamá’s gonna beat the living shit out of me.”  Lance said knowing well that a dirty shoe is waiting for him at home.

“My parents don’t care.”  Pidge said while playing on her DS.  “I’m going to beat this boss if it’s the last thing I do.”  Keith went on his phone to call Shiro while Lance got on his and searched his bag for headphones.  Hunk looks at them.

“Guys we can’t have our phones out.”

“I’m bored so I don’t care.”  Lance found them and plugged them in.  He took his glasses off and leans back in the desk and listens to music.

“Hey Takashi.”  Keith said.

“Detention?”

“How did ya know?”  Keith asked in a bored tone.

“You’d never guess.  I’m psychic.”

“Ha ha ha.”  Keith fake laughs.  “I’m gonna be a little late coming home okay?”

“Okay.”  The two hung up and Keith started playing games on his phone.  Hunk wanted them to get off of their phones.  After a few minutes of the principal being gone students started to leave early.

“Well let’s go.”  Keith got up.  Lance and Pidge got up too.

“Wait guys!”  Hunk starts.  “We can’t leave yet!”

“Meh whenever the principal is gone for a long time we tend to get up and leave.”  Keith said.

“No you guys can’t leave!”  Hunk got up and blocked them.  “We’re gonna be good students!”

“Really Hunk?”  Keith asks in a cocky voice.  “What are you gonna do?  You cannot make us stay.”

* * *

The principal walks in and was surprised the four stayed, till he saw the reason why.

“Well… nice use of duct tape Hunk.”  He said.  Hunk smiles sweetly.  Lance was whimpering, Keith was pissed, and Pidge had her arms free so she could keep playing her game.

“YEAH I BEAT THE BOSS!”

“I have to pee.”  Lance whines.  “Seriously let me go Hunk!”

“You all were about to walk out!”  Hunk said with a sad tone.  Keith slowly looks at him not saying a thing.  However if looks could kill then Hunk would’ve been bleeding out on the floor.  Lance kept moving his legs wanting to be free.  Pidge saved her game and smiles in triumph.  The principal sits with them for another ten minutes before he spoke up.

“You are all free to go now.”  The principal said.  Hunk went over and untaped the two who didn’t have their arms free.  Keith walked out like nothing happened while Lance ran to the restrooms practically crying.  Pidge undid the tape herself and walked out of the room.  Hunk follows her.

* * *

Lance slowly walks in, he looks around.  No Mamá in sight, coast is clear.  Lance braved his way to the door, then a shoe came out of nowhere and smacks his face.  He yelps and runs away.

Isabella throws more shoes at him and hits him every time till he was out of sight.  She growls and clutches onto the shoe.

“You win this round boy…”

* * *

Lance ran into the cafe and hid in the kitchen.  Coran looks at him like he was fucking nuts.

“You okay Lance?”

“Mi Mamá is so mad at me for getting detention.”  He whimpers.  “I’m staying here for the night.”

“You are not sleeping in the cafe.”  Allura said from the front.

“But Allura.”

“No buts.  You are not sleeping here, it’ll get too cold and you’ll freeze.  After work you are going home.”  She said like a mother, more like a big sister.  Lance gave her puppy eyes, ones that people have a hard time saying no to.

“Can you take me to your place then?”  He asks.


	48. Problems Never Die

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEITH!!!  
> I wanted to draw something for Keefer but my drawing tablet doesn't work at the moment and I lost my sketch book. So this chapter will do!  
> I'm just glad Keith is an October baby like me, that makes me happy ^-^

Shiro looks over at the door, it was way too early to be Allura so it startled him a little.  He was surprised to see Lance shuffle in.

“Um … hi… how are you Lance?”

“Hey Shiro.”  Lance mumbles.  “Um… mi Mamá is mad at me so… I’m staying here tonight.”  Lance walks over and sat down in the chair.  Shiro didn’t fight it, he sighs and went back to watching TV.

Black hops up and stares at Lance, he recognized him but never fully confronted Lance before.

“ _ Hola gato. ¿Cómo te va? _ ”  He pets Black, the cat purrs and lets Lance pet him behind the ears.  Shiro smiles at Lance.

“Well someone has taken a liking to you.  Most people can’t get near Black, he seems to like you.”

“You like me kitty kitty?”  Lance asks, Black purrs and sat on his lap.  “Well this is better than my face.”  Lance smiles, he hadn’t had a cat in years and honestly misses it.  His last cat technically belonged to his Mom but it died shortly after moving to America.  Though he can live without the sitting on face and interrupting beauty sleep.

Keith walks out and was a little surprised to see Lance sitting around.

“Hey.”  He walked up to him and leans on the back of the recliner.  “What are you doing here?”

“Remember when I said Mamá would be mad?”  Keith nods.  “She’s mad.”

“So you’re hiding out here?”

“Yeah.”  Lance nods.

“Alright.”  Keith puts his hands on Lance’s head and rests his chin on top of it.  Black gave him a look that said ‘fuck off’.  Keith glares right back at the cat.  Shiro looks over and started to laugh.  Lance looked up, slightly startled by the sudden outburst.

“What?”  He asks.

“A stare off for your attention apparently.”

“A stare -what?”  He looks at Black, he was looking behind Lance.  “Keith are you having a staring contest with the cat?”  He asks.  Keith said nothing, only glaring at the cat.  Lance ignores the uncomfortable stare down and continued to pet Black, the cat purred slightly but still stared at Keith.

Black got on it’s back legs and puts a paw on Keith’s nose.  Lance now notices how big Black was, the cat was huge.  If Black stood on it’s hind legs it would almost reach his hip.

Keith slowly pulls away from Lance, Black went back down and curls back up into Lance.  Keith raised an eyebrow, he got close to Lance again.  Black got back up and bats his away.  Keith pulled away, repeat process.

Keith smiled, he got close again and whispers.

“He doesn’t want me close to you.”  He said.  Lance noticed Black staring Keith down again, tail twitching as if he was waiting to pounce.

Keith got a little closer, Black bats at him to get away.  Keith backs off, he started to chuckle.  He went back down and nuzzled into Lance, Black bats him again.

Lance started to laugh, he brought Keith back down and nuzzled his cheek.  Black bats at Keith though Lance started it. The two boys laughed.

Keith started to give Lance little pecks on the cheek, Black gave the same reaction.  Both laugh like children.

“Hey hey come here.”  Lance said.

“What?”  Keith got down again, Lance pulls him in and kisses him.  Black starts batting at Keith again but that didn’t stop them.  Black ended up pouncing on Keith and started biting at his neck.  Keith yelps and pulls back, Black didn’t let him go.  “He’s vicious!”  He yells.

“What you get for messing with my cat.”  Shiro said through laughter.  The other two laughed as well, Keith grabs Black and threw him down.

“Evil little shit!”  He yells, Black glares at him and hops back on Lance’s lap.  “Oh I hate you.”  He couldn’t stop his laughter.  Lance chuckles and looks at Keith.

“Guess you don’t get me right now.”

“That cat is before me?!”  Keith asks, Lance shrugs.

“He got to me first.”

“I’m your boyfriend, I should be first regardless.”

“Sorry  _ Cariño. _ ”  Lance smiles.  Keith pouts and sat next to Shiro on the couch.

“It’s your cat!”  He says.

“Black’s content where he is.”  Shiro said.  “Quit being jealous over a cat.”  He teases his younger brother.  Lance giggles and continues to pet Black.

“It’s only a cat Keith.”

“That one is the spawn of Satan.”  Keith said in a cold tone, Black gave a face that said ‘I don’t give a fuck’.  The other two kept laughing at him.  “You rescued that cat and he thinks he owns the place!  You rescued him, he should be grateful!”

“I’ll give the kitty kisses.”  Lance said giggling.

“Fuck you.”  Keith pouts.  The rest of the time was glaring at the cat.

* * *

The next day Lance texted Sam to see if it was safe to go home, he sent his brother a picture of Isabella sitting on the couch with a bucket of shoes next to her.  So that’s a no.

He decided to hang out with Pidge because he was bored and didn’t want to die.  He and Keith walk in without any warning.

“Hello hello~”  Lance sings as he prances in.  Colleen looks over and waves.

“Hi boys, what are you doing here?”  She asks.

“Lance can’t go home and apparently there is nothing to do at my house.”  Keith says in a sour tone.

“All you have is a TV and a shit ton of books.”  Lance grumbles, Keith heard him though and elbows him.

“Learn to read.”

“NEVER!”

“Who’s yelling?”  Pidge walks down in a t-shirt and shorts, her mother freaks out and scolds her for her poor attire.  They had boys over, she should dress appropriately so they don’t get any ideas.  “Oh my God Mother.”  She groans.  “They won’t get any ideas, trust me.”

“How many times has Pidge told you I’m gay?”  Keith asks.

“Well what about that one?”  She points at Lance.  He looks back and forth then shrugs.

“Meh, she’s got me there.”  Lance said.  “But I’m dating this guy so…”

“See?  It’s fine.”  She said.  “By the way, why the fuck are you two at my house?”  She asks.

“Bored and his mom is gonna kill him.  So can we hang out here and play games?”

“Sure.”  Pidge lead the two upstairs.  They all walked into her room and sat on her bed.  She turned her game on and pulled out all the multiplayer games.

“No MarioKart.”

“Why not?”  She asks.

“Cause you rage badly and Keith thinks it’s funny and makes it worse.”  Lance points out, Keith giggles.

“I wanna play MarioKart.”

“What else ya got?”  He asks.  Pidge held up Smash Bros.  “Sure why not?”

“What’s this?”  Keith took the game and looks at it in curiosity.

“It’s a fighting game.”  Pidge said.  She hands them wiimotes and began to play.

* * *

Later on Hunk came over and joined them then Matt decided to play as well.  They all played Smash Bros till Pidge raged and both Matt and Keith giggled like children.  The two teamed up to purposefully piss her off.  Lance and Hunk gave the most deadpan look while playing.

“OH MY GOD WILL YOU TWO STOP CHASING ME!”  She shouts.  Keith and Matt were both Ganondorf and were chasing Pidge who was Jigglypuff.  They caught her and killed her, then they both taunted at the same time.  She screeches in anger.

“Soooo Hunk how’s life?”  Lance asks, he wants to have a conversation with someone.

“Meh, it’s alright.”  He said.  “I’ve been trying this new recipe but it’s not coming out well.”  Hunk looked up and thought.

“What’s the dish?”

“It’s this baked ravioli dish.  My parents say it’s good but it’s really missing something.”

“A spice?”

“I don’t know.  Maybe.”  Hunk said.  Lance thought.

“Well when mi Mamá thinks something is missing she adds peppers or cheese… usually both.”

“Peppers may make it taste bad but maybe cheese.”  Hunk said.  “What kind does your mom add?  Cheddar?  Mo-

“FUCK YOU TWO!”  Pidge interrupts him.

“Ganondorf!  Ganondorf!”  Matt and Keith chased her and chant.  Lance walks over to Matt who was on the edge.  He was Bayonetta and just stared him down.

“What are you looking at?”  Matt asks.  Lance quickly summoned Bayonetta’s giant boot and kicked Matt in the pit before he could attack.  Matt sat there shocked.

“You dick.”

“WHAT YOU GET!”  Pidge shouts as the screen went to the winner, which was Lance.

“Hey I won for once.”  Lance said.  Hunk pats his back.

“Good job man.”

“Fuck you.”  Matt was pissed.  Pidge kept laughing at him.  After a while the group got bored and wondered what to do.  Hunk checked his phone, he got up and walked out, everyone followed him.

“What are you guys doing?”

“Following you?”  Pidge said like it was a question.  They all walked out of the house and followed Hunk home.

* * *

“Alright so we’re going to try baking a cake.”  Hunk said.  Everyone nods happily, they all wanted to try cooking since Hunk was amazing at it.  So he’ll teach them… or try.  Key word being try…

“So when can I use this?”  Keith held up a kitchen mallet happily.

“Uh… you don’t need that to bake a cake.”  Hunk crushed Keith’s hopes in using the dangerous tool.  Lance takes it from him.

“Aaaaand we’re taking the mallet from Keith.”  He puts it where Keith found it and stares back at Hunk.

“Okay so first you pick the type of cake you want to make.”

“Chocolate!”  Lance shouts.

“Any others?”

“Chocolate!”  Keith shouts.

“Um something easier?”

“Chocolate!”  Pidge shouts.

“Fine…”  Hunk preheats the oven and tries to make a cake with them, it doesn’t go well.  “Pidge go get the flour in the cupboard up there.”  He points up.  Pidge climbs on the counter and got the flour down, she didn’t realize how heavy it was cause as soon as she got it she fell backwards onto the floor.  Flour was all over.  Lance and Keith stood there covered in flour while Hunk groans.

Keith and Lance started putting other ingredients in the mixing bowl while Hunk swept up the flour.  Pidge found another bag and was careful with it.  She got sugar next and was glad it wasn’t heavy like the flour, but she slipped on the flour that coated the floor and dropped the sugar.  It stayed in the bag thankfully.  She put it on the counter and then she walked to get the cocoa.

She groans as she carried the heavy bag over to Lance, Hunk was getting the pan ready and watches her go by.

“Okay Pidge don’t spill the cocoa powder.”  He said.

“What is Keith doing?!”  She noticed Keith was standing there awkwardly.  He looks at Lance and points at him not saying a word.  “I cannot read your mind Keith, you have to speak up.”

“It said to add eggs and so I did but then Lance threw away the batter and remade it.”

“Lance!”

“He added an egg.”  Lance said as he added sugar.

“It needed an egg!”  Pidge shouts.

“No… he added an egg.”  It took a moment for it to sink in.  Pidge got it and groans.

“Alright, here’s coc-”  She drops it.

“What did I say?!”

“Shut up Hunk!”  She shouts.  “Not everyone has your superhuman strength!”  Her sass was on.  Keith took some cocoa and ate it.  Lance pulled his hand away.

“N-No Keith don’t.”  Keith was confused, he just took some cocoa powder from the floor and now Lance was stopping him.  Pidge got another bag and hands it to Lance while Hunk sweeps up her mess again.

Keith watches Lance add cocoa and tries to poke at the ingredients.

“No Keith.”  Lance hands him a spoon.  “Here, you can stir it.”  Keith puts the spoon in the lump of ingredients and used the spoon like a knife, stabbing it.  He smiles and kept mashing it up till it was a creamy mixture.

“Okay you can stop now.”  Lance said, Keith kept stabbing at it.  Lance had to take it from him, Keith gave him his usual confused puppy eyes.  Wondering why Lance was ruining his fun.  Meanwhile Lance was trying to figure out how someone so cute could be so violent.

They pour it in the cake pan and sat around waiting.  Keith and Pidge played bloody knuckles for a good five minutes before Pidge got sick of Keith’s quick reflexes and his strength.  He doesn’t hold back when it comes to bloody knuckles.

“So what now?”  Lance asks.  “What do we do to pass time?”

“Let’s play a game.”  Hunk said.  “Hold on I got a good one here.”  He pulls out a tablet and picks a game.  “This is called heads up, what you do is someone holds it on their head like this while everyone else acts it out.  It’s like charades.”

“Okay.”  Lance said.  “Sounds fun, let’s do it.”  Hunk went first, he picks animals as the topic and held it up to his head.  First animal was duck.

“It’s duck.”  Keith says.

“Okay thanks Keith.”  Hunk said with a smile.  Lance grabs his boyfriend by the shoulders and shook him.

“You aren’t suppose to tell him what it is!”

“Huh?”

“The point of the game is to act out and he has to guess!”

“Oh… I get it now!”  Keith smiles brightly, he got how charades work.  Lance buries his head in Keith’s shoulder.  He was too cute.

“Okay what am I?”  Hunk asks.  It was lion, everyone panics.  Keith grabs Pidge and sang.

“Circle of liiiiiiiife~”

“Simba!”  She says happily.

“Lion?”

“No, it’s monkey…”  Lance deadpans.  Hunk rolls his eyes and moves the tablet down.  Next animal was flamingo.  Lance stood on one leg and posed like a flamingo.  Pidge waddled like one, Keith had no clue how to act.  So he stood there again.  It finally clicked for Hunk and he freaks.

“FLAMINGO!”

“Yes!”  Lance and Pidge cheered.  The next animal was a parrot.  Keith took Pidge and put him on Lance’s shoulder.  She starts to squawk.

“SQUAWK!  Pidgey wanna cracker!”  She said.

“Parrot.”  Hunk laughs and then it was a siamese cat.  The two looked at Keith, he groans and got on all fours.

“Nya.”  He said in the most unamused monotone voice.

“Good boy.”  Lance pets him, Keith tried scratching.  “YIP!  No never mind you’re awful!”

“Cat?”

“A specific cat.”  Pidge said.  Hunk thought, then he laughed.

“Oh I get it, siamese.  Keith’s Asian and he’s a siamese I get it.”  He said.  The next animal was a sheep.  They all got on fours and made sheep noises.

“Baaa.”

“Baaa.”

“Baaa-this is stupid.”  Keith said.

“Sheep!”

“Yes!”  The other two said, the next animal was a vulture.  Lance went up to Keith and hops on his back.  He had an evil smirk and all hunched over over Keith’s head.  Keith looked at him confused, he wasn’t alone cause Hunk was just as confused.

“Uh… giraffe.”

“No!”

“Crow!”

“No!”

“RAVEN!”

“NO!”

“Uh… Uh…”  The timer ran out.

“NOOOOO!”  Everyone besides Keith screamed.  He points at the screen.

“It was vulture.”  Hunk groans when Keith told him that.  He motions the three to come over.

“Okay this is funny.  It filmed you guys.”

“What?”  Lance asks.  Hunk shows the three the video.  They all laughed at it, they looked ridiculous.

“My turn my turn!”  Pidge took it.  She smiles as she put it on her forehead.  She picked actions.  First one was making a pizza.  Lance started singing an overly stereotypical Italian song while pretended to make a pizza.

“Ra da da tra ta da!”  Lance sang, Keith pretended to throw toppings on.  “Mama mia!”

“Give ita here.”  Hunk goes along.  Pidge gave the three an unamused look.

“One: you’re making a pizza, two: not all Italians act like that.”  She said.  The three giggle.

“Sorry Katie.”  Keith said through giggles.

“Hey to be fair I didn’t know.”  Lance said.

“I won’t forgive you McClain.”  She said.  “Continue.”  The next action was fencing.  Keith posed like he was holding a sword and points at Hunk.

“En garde!”  He shouts.  Hunk pretends to put on a mask and pretends to fence, Lance made sound effects.  

“Cling shwing shing shwing clang.”  He said.  Pidge giggles.

“Fencing?”

“Yes!”  The boys nod.  Next thing was paddle ball.  Keith acted like he was doing fine while Lance kept missing.  Hunk looked at his.

“I hate this game…”

“PADDLE BALL!”

“YES!”  The next one was bull riding.  Hunk got down like a bull while Keith got on his back and pretended to wear a cowboy hat.  He got his old southern accent back.

“Yeehaw!  Get movin boy’o!  Come on now!”  He shouts.  “Y’all can move faster than that!”

“Rodeo?”

“No.”

“Soooo close!”  Lance was cheering her on.

“Oh OH OH OH BULLRIDING!”

“YES!”

“Ya got it girlie!”  Keith kept it.

“Okay Texas Boy.”  She teases.  Next was badmitten.  They pretended to swing at it while looking like total morons.

“Tennis.”

“NO!”

“WHAT?!”

“Keep guessing!  KEEP GUESSING!”  They kept shouting.

“BADMITTEN!”  As soon as she shouted it the timer went off.  They all screamed in anger.  The oven went off after that.  They all walked into the kitchen and pulled the cake out.  Hunk took the frosting out and started to frost the cake.

They all looked at it and smiled.

“Well it looks good.”  Hunk took a slice and ate it.  “Nice.”  Everyone else took a piece and ate.  Hunk’s phone went off and he checks it.  His eyes grew.

“Shit my parents are home!”

“WHAT?!”  Pidge put her plate down and quickly got up.  “Dude this is bad, how are we supposed to get out?!”

“I-I don’t know!”

“Woah woah what’s wrong?!”  Lance asks.  Hunk looks at Keith and Lance who were real confused.

“My parents… well mainly my mom… she hates having guests over.”  He starts.  “Also she’s been mad at me for getting into trouble lately and this year I haven’t been telling her everything.”

“So?”  Lance asks.

“Control freak Lance!  She’s a major control freak who hates me, who hates anyone that she thinks is harming her son!”  Pidge said.  Still confused.

“What?”  Lance asks, Pidge looks down, she said nothing.

“We have got to get out of here!”  Pidge threw her shoes on.  “Come on come on!”  Keith and Lance took the warning and got ready themselves.  They ran out of the apartment and down the stairs.  

Pidge yelps in fear, Keith and Lance look over at who stopped her.  A slightly thin woman stood before them.  She had dark skin and black hair that went to her lower back, she was young looking and very beautiful.

“M-Mrs. Garrett… n-nice to see you again.”  She said.  The two boys were surprised, this young woman was Hunk’s mom?!

The woman said nothing, she walked up the stairs and began to shout.

“HUNK!  WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT BRINGING KATIE OVER!”

“Mom please.”  Hunk came down.  “She’s a friend.”

“Yeah and a bad influence.  Who are those two?”  She points at Lance and Keith.  Lance spoke up.

“Um… nice to meet you ma’am.  I’m Lance and this is Keith.  We’re your son’s friends.”

“Keith?”  She paused.  “THE KOGANE KID?!”  She snaps.  Keith clung to Lance and stares at her in fear.  “YOU’RE THE REASON HE’S BEEN GETTING INTO TROUBLE!  YOU AND KATIE BOTH!  YOU PARENTLESS FUCK!”

“No that isn’t it!”  Lance said.  “In fact Hunk has been a great thing for us, especially Keith.  He’s helped out a lo-”  She cuts Lance off.

“Just get out.  I SAID OUT!”  She kept yelling, she points at Keith.  “YOU!  I DO NOT WANT YOU NEAR MY SON EVER AGAIN!  YOU HEAR ME?!  NEVER EVER AGAIN YOU FILTHY, DISGUSTING, NO GOOD ORPHAN!”  She storms into the apartment.  Hunk looks at his friends then slowly walked in without saying a word and that was that.

Lance looks over at Keith, his eyes were filled with tears.

“Keith, don’t listen to her.  You know none of that was true.”  Keith tore himself from Lance and ran down the apartment stairs.  “Wait  _ Cariño _ !”  Lance ran after him, Pidge followed.  They followed him all the way to his house, Shiro was shocked when he ran in upset and even more shocked that Lance and Pidge ran in soon after.

Lance grabs Keith by the arm and pulls him back.  Keith began to smack at his arm wanting to be free.  Lance pulls him in for a hug, Pidge joins in.  Keith began to freak out.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

“Keith, calm down.”

“WHY DID SHE CALL ME THAT?!  WHY DID SHE?!”  He asks, Lance looks at Keith, he was so confused like what he heard was a lie… then it hit.

“Oh no…”

“Oh no what?”  Pidge asks.

“Keith, come back.”  Lance began to plea.  Shiro got up and quickly was by Lance’s side.

“What happened?!”

“Hunk’s mom flipped out on him and called him an orphan.”  Lance said.  “I think Keith remembered them again and he… he went back.”

“Oh God.  Keith look at me, do you know me?”

“Takashi?”

“Oh thank God.”

“Who’s that?”  He points at Lance.  “And why is she here?”  He glares at Pidge, she was hurt.

“Keith, this isn’t funny.”

“No it isn’t.  Get out of here!”  He shouts.  Lance hugs her, she was so confused.

“This is why he was hospitalized, he forgets where he is.”  Lance said, Pidge was clinging to Lance in fear.  It was so odd yet so scary to see someone forget everything.

“Get out of here Katie.  I’ve told you before I’m not interested in being your friend!”  He snaps.  Pidge felt tears pour out of her eyes.  “Take your boyfriend too.”

“Keith this is yo-”  Lance stops her.

“We’ll be going now Shiro.”

“Okay, I’ll take care of him.  He’s not too far gone.”  Shiro said.  Keith glares at the other two, like strangers.  Lance hugs Keith before he left.

“Love you.”  A long silence.

“Ew… freak.”  He pushed Lance away.  Lance said nothing, he instead grabs Pidge’s shoulder and lead her out.  Keith looks at Shiro.  “Did you know Katie was seeing someone?”

“N-No I didn’t.”  Shiro said quietly.  This was going to crush Keith when he realized what he had said to them.

* * *

Lance got Pidge home and walked back to his place.  Instead of a shoe he was embraced with a big hug.

“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN MIJO?!”

“I’ve been with friends all day.”  Lance said quietly.  Isabella looks at her son with concerned eyes.  She could tell something was bothering him, though Lance is good at hiding it, his mom could always tell.

“What’s wrong?”  She asks.  Lance tried to stay calm.

“ _ Keith se perdió de nuevo …  Se olvidó de mí. _ ”  He said quietly.  Isabella gave him a sympathetic look and pulls him in for another hug.  Lance shudders but refused to cry over this again.  However he thought Keith had moved on, that it was another chapter written and completed.  Clearly he was wrong.

“I thought he was okay Mamá… I thought he was okay but he’s not!”

“Shhh  _ está bien mi bebé. _ ”  She comforts him.  “Keith will be okay.  You two always get through these things.”  She says calmly.  Lance nods and walks upstairs in his room.  Sam was already on his bed conked out.

Lance’s phone went off multiple times, each message being from Hunk.  He was apologizing.  Finally Lance texted back ‘if you wanna say sorry to someone say it to Keith.’  He didn’t want to sound rude but his boyfriend doesn’t remember him at the moment and his Pidgey is upset.  He rests his eyes and hopes sleep takes him soon.

* * *

Pidge was on her bed playing Project Diva trying to calm herself down.  For some odd reason she seems drawn to all the sad songs… she finds herself playing Solitary Envy for the third time in a row.  It makes her wonder… does Keith feel this way?  Does Keith identify with the song?  She sighs, clearly she’s overthinking things.   After she perfected it she decides to pick another song, preferably a happier one.  But she can’t bring herself to play one.

Her phone goes off, she picks it up without reading the name.

“Who is it?”  She asks in a tired voice.  She heard whimpering on the other end.  She pulls the phone away and looks at the name.  “Keith?  What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean what I said Pidge.”  He cries.  “I love you, you know that right?”

“I love you too Keith.”  She said, she couldn’t stand to hear him cry.  “I could never hate you, not after all we’ve been through.”

“You’re not mad at me?”

“No, not at all.”  She said.  “Lance and Shiro told me that it happens.  So it’s fine, you’re still my best friend.”

“Really?”  He sounded hopeful.  She could practically see his smile.

“Really.”

“Thank God.”  He sighs in relief.  The two talked for a while, both glad that everything is okay.

* * *

At midnight Lance’s phone went off.  He picks it up and squints to see what it said, he gave up and grabs his glasses.  Caller was who else.

“Hey Sweetie.”

“Hi, I’m back.”

“I can tell.”

“Did I seriously think you and Pidge were a couple?”

“Yes you did.”  Lance chuckles, after that the two stayed silent.  “Baby why didn’t you tell me you still had panic attacks… are they still frequent?”  He heard Keith shuffle.

“Yes.  I still get them regularly.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want you to worry about it.”  Keith sighs.  “I was afraid you’d leave me again…”  That broke Lance’s heart, he wasn’t going to make that mistake again.

“I won’t.”  Lance said.  “I won’t leave you.”

“Promise?”

“No.”

“No?”

“It’s absolute, I will not leave you.”  Lance said.  “Just tell me when something's up okay?”  Silence, finally a hesitant voice spoke up.

“Okay…”

“Good, now please text Hunk cause I’m sure he’s freaking out right now.”

“Alright, I’ll talk to him.  See ya.”

“Yeah, love you.”  Lance smiles.

“Um… m-mutual…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plz don't hate meh :(


	49. Dance class

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so what is up with the fandom lately?! I am so sick of going online and seeing klance fans being stupid, the normal fans being bullied and Sheith fans completely harassing anyone who mentions klance. Seriously we as a community, as a fandom, need to knock this shit off! I hope none of you are partaking in this stupid little act. Enjoy this chapter and have a great Halloween.

Lance yawns as he walks out in the warm afternoon spring air after school.  Today was so tiring, Hunk apologized like crazy, Keith was clingy to everyone acting like they were all going to hate him for forgetting, and Pidge was asking a million and one questions to understand how Keith forgets everything.

Lance was so ready for a nap after school, now he was walking Sarah to dance practice.  Sam had to go to the hospital for an appointment to check his heart, leaving Lance on babysitting duty.  The worst part was Sarah’s practice was an hour and a half long.  He walked next to Sarah who was holding Rico’s hand and skipping along.

The three walk in the building, Sarah runs to her class and Rico lead Lance to the child center.  Lance sat around and played with his brother and random other kids who wanted to play with him for some unknown reason.  Rico joined all the kids in wrestling Lance down, he was overthrown by children.

After what felt like forever Lance got up and walked around the gym with Rico, he didn’t want to be alone with strangers.  He was so bored, how does Sam do this?  Well Sam is usually sitting around in a chair so he must be use to something like this.

He saw all the people running and lifting weights.  Lance walks over to the dumbells and picks up a forty, Rico tried picking up a ten.  Lance took it and hands Rico a five.  He copies Lance’s movements.  Lance remembers the weight room when he first befriended Keith, he tried lifting his arms to the side, it’s still hard.  Rico tried too and squeaks in pain.

“You okay?”

“My arm huwts.”  He points out.  Lance took the weight from him and walks away before Rico tried something else.  They walked near the dance room, Lance watched the girls do their routine.  He smiles, remembering when he was in dance.  Rico looks at them and back at Lance.

“Lances is dancening fun?”

“Uh huh.  Dancing is fun but it’s hard work.”

“Weally?”

“Yeah.”

“Can boys dance-ed?”  He asks, Lance laughs.

“Of course, Sam and I danced.”

“What happened?”

“Well I had to quit because of the bad man and Sam got bullied by Antonio.”

“Who Antonio?”  Rico asks, Lance stops and looks down.  That’s right… Rico never got to know Antonio.  As far as Rico knows, he’s just a stranger.  

“Um… no one Sweetie.”

“No one?”  Rico shrugs, he didn’t want to know who Antonio was anyways.  Lance saw the room next door was free.  He smiles and leads Rico inside.

“How about I teach you my first dance routine.”

“You teach-ed me dancing?”  Rico asks happily.  Lance nods and pulls his phone out, he found the song he first danced to when he was in Cuba.  Kind of funny since the song was in English, his teacher had a thing for American singers.  Rico picks up the phone and looks at the song.

“This song is called Gold Digger, I didn’t know what it was saying when I was younger.”  Lance told his brother.  Rico gave him a judgemental look.  “I was six and knew little English!”

“I’s two and know English.”

“Cause we moved here when you were little.”  Lance points out.  “You got to learn English right away.”  Lance said.  “Whatever let me show you the routine to this.”

He played the song again and started the routine he learned long ago and remembered the whole thing step by step, but that was because their teacher pounded this one into their heads.  Poor Lance, his first one and it was hard for most of the girls in his class.

Rico copied his brother the best he could, however he couldn’t move like Lance.  Lance watched his brother in the mirror and smiled, it was cute to see Rico trying his hardest and still had a smile on his face.  As soon as they were done Rico fell over and looked at Lance happily.  He couldn’t say anything but he was laughing.

Then he heard more giggles, he looks over.  The dance class were there and watched the whole thing.  Lance decided to pose and smiled.

“Ya like what you see?”  He said in an over the top voice, the girls giggled again, even Sarah.  They whispered amongst one another, Sarah was listening and then made a disgusted face.

“ _ EW! ¡No llames a mi hermano sexy! _ ”  She shouts in disgust.  Lance smirked and spoke up.

“Someone thinks I’m attractive?”  He asks in a playful voice.  All the girls look away giggling, their faces turned red in embarrassment.  Rico started to giggle too.

“They act-ed like Kei Kei.”  Rico points out.  Lance started to laugh, those girls were acting like Keith when he was getting flirted with.

“Princess is a bit different Rico.”  Sarah said.  “What are you two doing?”  She had to ask.

“Dancing.”  Lance said happily, Rico nods.  One of the girls spoke up.

“Y-You’re a good dancer.”

“Yeah… she thinks you’re hot!”  Another one spoke up.  All of them giggle, Lance looked

away, he was kind of embarrassed that all these girls had a thing for him.  He’d usually eat that attention up… but it was a bunch of eight year old girls.

The older woman looks at Sarah.  She had blond hair that was in a tight bun and dark  blue eyes, though they looked purple.  She had cream colored skin and a thin figure, almost like an angel.  Lance had to admit she was beautiful.

“You know these two?”  She asks, Sarah nods.

“Those two are my brothers.”  She said.  Lance waves and Rico hid behind Lance, introductions meant speaking to them.  The lady walks up to them and shook his hand.

“Hello, it’s nice to meet you.  I’m Nyma.”  Lance took her hand and nods.

“Nice to meet you too.”  He said.  “Is there a reason your whole class came in and watched us dance?”

“We heard the music so we decided to investigate.  Well you were what we found.”  She smiles.  “Sarah your brother is good at dancing.”

“Yeah, I guess…”  She runs up to him and grabs his arm.  “Come on Lance we have to go home now.”

“Okay okay.  Come on Rico.”

“Kay.”  He grabs Lance’s hand and walks out, Nyma calls over.

“It was nice meeting you, hope to see you again.”  She says happily.  Lance waves back and follows his sister out.  Sarah gave him a dirty look.

“I’m telling Princess that you let a bunch of girls hit on you.”

“Oh yeah, I’m sure Keith is gonna be super jealous by a bunch of eight year olds.”  Lance gave his sister a look.

“And Nyma.”  Sarah points out.  “Nyma commented about you, saying you have a nice butt.”

“I didn’t know that!”  Lance said in a panic.  “L-Listen Sarah, I’m sure Keith won’t mind.  I mean I love him so much.”

“Really?”

“The love of my life~”  Lance said happily, Sarah giggles.  She loved it when Lance was a sap.

“Okay, if Princess doesn’t mind.”

* * *

They walked back into the house and saw Keith laying on their couch reading a book.  He broke into their house...  Sarah runs by with Rico.

“Hi Princess.”

“Hey.”  He didn’t look up from his book.  Lance walks over and lays on him, Keith looks at him and with a bored expression.

“Get off of me.”

“No, cuddle with me!”  Lance begs.  “Please~”  Keith put his book on Lance’s head and kept reading.  Lance pouts and kept staring at Keith, he moved his head so one eye was peaking out.  

Keith looks at him, then back at his book.  Lance reached over and slams it shut.

“Pay attention to me!”

“Dammit Lance.”  He growls.  “What am I supposed to do?  Shower you with affection?”

“That would be nice~”  Lance sings.  Sarah looks over.

“Can I tell Keith about Nyma saying you have a nice butt?”  She asks, Keith slowly looks down.

“What’s this now?”

“I went to one of Sarah’s dance practices.”  Lance said.  Sarah spoke up again.

“Everyone loved Lance, they thought he was sexy.”  She giggles.  Lance could feel Keith’s anger.

“Sweetie, can you leave Lance and I alone for a minute?”  He asks in a too kind of voice.  Sarah nods and runs upstairs.  Lance tried getting up but Keith pulled him back and choked him.  “Who’s this Nyma chick?”

“Choking… choking… choking…”  Lance slaps him arm wanting to be free from choking.  Keith glared at him.  “Let me…. Keith let me…. Live!”  Keith raised an eyebrow but lets go, Lance takes a deep breath.  He lives.

“Okay so Nyma is Sarah’s dance teacher.  She thought I looked good so-”  Choking him again.  “Let me… finish… b-before you… kill me!”  He lets go again.  “Damn, okay so anyways… she saw me dance and thought I looked good, that’s it.  The only other people who found me hot were eight year old girls.”  Keith said nothing, he kept glaring at him.

“You can’t go there ever again.”

“What?”

“Never again.”

“You cannot dictate where I can and can’t go!  I’m a human being with rights!”  Lance points out.  “I don’t care if you’re my boyfriend or not, I can go wherever I damn well please.”

“I would appreciate it if you never went there again!”  Keith said.  “That better Darling?”  He hissed, Lance glares at him then it started to hit.

“Oh my God…”  Lance had to pause and assess the situation.  “Are you actually jealous of some eight year old girls?”  Keith folds his arms across his chest and looked away without saying a word, that was his argument.  “You are freaking jealous that some elementary age kids found me hot and saw me dance!”

Nothing, Keith wouldn’t look at him.

“You’re not even arguing it!  Dammit Keith what the hell?!”  Keith continued to say nothing.  “Well we can’t argue about it anyways because I have to go again tomorrow.”  He glares at Lance.  “Samuel is in the hospital checking up on his heart monitor.  So I have to take her till he’s healed up.”

“No.”

“Can’t help it.”

“No!”  Keith snaps.  Lance lays on him and smiles.  “I say no.”

“Aw and I don’t have to listen to you.”  Lance says sweetly.  Keith glares at him but clung to him nonetheless.

“No, that is final.”  Keith mutters.

“What are you gonna do about it?”

* * *

“Okay when I asked what are you gonna do about it, I didn’t think you’d come with me.”  Lance said as he walked in with Keith.  Sarah and Rico held on to both of his hands and walked happily.  Sarah runs into her class while the others walk into the child’s center.  Keith hid on the mini playground equipment cause kids wanted to wrestle him down.  He looked like a scared cat.

They kept yelling, saying catch the ninja.  Keith refused to touch the ground, he parkoured around the children's center.  Lance sat there with a few of the more timid kids and played with them.  The rough ones were occupied.

Later on Rico wanted to try that routine again.  Lance got out and Rico followed his older brother to the room again.  Keith walked in and watched him.  He looked uncomfortable, starting to fidget.

“I wanna try.”  He finally said, Lance gave him a look.  “I wanna try dancing.”

“I’m not saying no, but why?”  Lance asks, Keith shrugs.  He didn’t know, he just wanted to try dancing.  He thought it’d be fun, also he didn’t want to go back to the violent kids.

Lance turns the song on and Keith had to laugh at it.  Lance gave him a look.

“Follow my lead.”  He commands.  Keith had a hard time keeping it up, he moved slowly and awkwardly.  He had no clue how Lance could flow so easily like it was nothing.  Rico was moving with a little more ease, which made Keith look like an idiot.

The girls giggled again.

“Hi again.”  Nyma said.  Keith refused to look back, Lance waved.

“Hey, Rico wanted to practice again.”

“Really?  Ya know there is a boys team.  My friend Rolo runs that one.”  Nyma began to talk to Lance, Keith pouts.  “Who’s the new kid?”  She asked.  “Haven’t seen him around here, is he a friend?”

“This is Keith.”  Lance said.  Sarah ran up and hugged him.

“Say hi Princess.”  She said, Keith looks up.  All the girls gasp, they started to whisper amongst one another.  Keith sighs, great they think he’s some freaky, rebellious emo, maybe he needs to change how he looks.  Sarah walks over and listens in, then she spoke up.  “He’s pretty.”  She comments.  “That’s why his nickname is Princess.”

“He looks more like a model.”

“A singer.”

“He’s hotter than those guys on TV.”  Keith overheard all that.  He looked down beat red, he kept looking from side to side.  How does someone react to that?  Lance started to laugh. “You okay _Cariño_?”  He teased, Keith looks down and messes with his hair.  Sarah ran back up to Keith and hugs him.  The girls kept whispering amongst one another.  Keith looks back up at them and tried to say something.

“Um… I… I’m not good at talking to people…”  He said quietly.  All the girls surround him.  He started to panic, too many people at once!  However they want to talk to the hot guy.

“You look like a singer from Japan.”

“I-I’m not Japane-”

“You’re really cute!”

“Um… thanks?”

“I’d say he’s sexy.”

“W-Wait I’m not-”

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

“N-No.”

“No?!”

“Are you single?!”

“Um…”

“No way, he’s lying!”

“He has to be taken.”

“Yeah, no one this hot could be single!”  They kept talking, Lance started to laugh.  Keith glares at him, way to help.

“So do you have a girlfriend?”  One asks again.

“I said no.”  Keith repeats himself.  The girls all whispered again, they’d look up at them then back down.  Sarah takes Keith over to the group to talk to them again.  Nyma walks over and whispers to Lance.

“They’ve taken a liking to you two.”  She said.  “You should come over more often.”

“We can’t, we both have work.”  Lance says.  Nyma nods.

“Aw, oh well.  Hopefully you can come over some other time.  I’m sure they’ll enjoy your company.”  She looks over at Keith.  “They’ve taken a liking to your friend over there.”

“Yeah they have.  Can’t complain though, he is real pretty.  Aren’t you _ Cariño _ ~”  He shouts, Keith looks up confused.  Lance chuckles.  “Well it was fun seeing ya again, Sam might be taking Sarah again.  But hopefully I can come again”  He looks over.  “You three, come on!”

The three walk over to Lance and walked out while parents walked in.  Keith looks down as they walked into the car.

“I’m sorry about that.”

“Bout what?”  Lance asks.

“I came because I was upset that people liked you… then they came to me and started talking to me like they wanted my attention.”

“Cause you look good Keith.  You’re attractive.”

“I am?”

“Yeah, totally attractive.”  Lance kisses his cheek.  “I’m a lucky guy.”  Keith smiles like a dork.  He was a sap for him.


	50. Dresses and Videogames

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 50 chapters! Holy shit we are on chapter 50! When I started this fanfic I planned on having about thirty chapters or less. I never thought it would be this long and this loved. Thank you all for reading this and enjoy this chapter :)

Lance walks into school seeing posters everywhere, all advertising prom.  Sam looks at Lance.

“You going?”

“Huh?”  Lance raised an eyebrow.  “Should I?”

“Well you have a boyfriend, also Rebecca would want you to go.”  Lance sighs and looks down.  “Just think about it.”  Sam said.  Lance smiles and pats his brother’s head.  Their nice moment was ruined when Pidge ran in and pushed Sam’s chair hard so the two rolled off in high speeds.  Sam screamed in fear while Pidge cheered in joy.  Lance just watched.

He walks to his locker and got everything ready, or almost did.  Keith shut his locker and Lance shrieks.  His day was ruined.

“Why?!”  He shrieks.  Keith giggles like a child.  Lance gave him a pathetic look.  “You must hate me.”  Keith kept giggling at Lance’s misery.

Lance opened his locker again and had to hold it open because Keith tried shutting it again.

“I AM NOT PLAYING GAMES!”  He yells, well he whines but same thing.  Keith finally lets go.  Lance sighs and eases up on his locker, as soon as he lets go Keith shut it again.  Lance glares at him, Keith kept giggling.

“I love you.”  The most insincere way to say it.  Lance pouts.

“Yeah right.”  Lance opens his locker for the third time and grabbed his stuff.  Keith looks at him happily.  “So apparently prom is this weekend.”

“Yeah.”  Keith nods.  Lance smiles at him.

“I’m guessing you want to go to it?”  He teases, Keith nods.  “Wow really?  I remember a certain princess not wanting to go to homecoming.”

“Shut up.  Are you in or not?”

“I guess.  If it pleases mi _princesa_.”  He kisses Keith’s cheek, he chuckles and wraps his arms around his neck.

“Am I still the most beautiful princess?”

“Still no contest.”  The two laugh playfully till Hunk ran up to them in a panic.  The two look at him, though the two didn’t let go of one another.

“Guys!”  He whines.  “I need your help!”

“What’s up?”  Lance asks.  Hunk looks at them with all the worry in the world.

“I well… I wanted… you know it’s prom and all and-”

“You wanna ask Shay?”  Keith asks.  Hunk panics and looks around, nothing.  He nods sadly.

“Yes, I want to ask for advice.”  He said.  Keith shrugs, however Lance gave a smirk.  Keith looks at him and shook his head, he better not.

“Well I am a master when it comes to romance~”

“No you are not.”

“Hush my precious.”  Lance said, Keith raised an eyebrow.  “My advice is… she likes you so go and ask.”

“I knew asking you two was a mistake.”

“Hey!”  Lance whines.

“You two can go back to being lovey dovey.”  Hunk walks off.  The two look back at each other, Lance smirks.

“So you don’t think I’m good with romance.”

“Not at all.”  Keith challenges.  Lance sways back and forth with Keith in his arms.

“If I’m not so good at it then how did I win your heart _Cariño_?”  He asks, Keith kept his competitive smirk.

“I’m sure I stole your heart Baby.”

“Most certainly not.  You confessed first, remember?”  He asks.  “Plus I don’t think you’re very good at swooning someone.”  He teased.  Keith just stared at him.  He smiles and whispers in his ear.  Lance’s face blew up into a crimson color.

“O-Okay you can do that…”  He squeaks.  Keith giggles and cuddles into his neck.  Pidge walks up and makes another gagging noise.

“Stop it.”  She says.  The two look at her happily.  “By the way did Hunk ask you guys for advice too?”

“Yeah.”  Keith nods.  “What did you say?”

“Give up.”

“Damn you’re mean.”  Lance said.  “Hunk has a chance.”

“This isn’t like your awkward romance.  He’s crushing on a hot cheerleader.”  She comments, Lance gasps.

“I’m not attractive?!”

“No, you are.”  Pidge said calmly.  Keith hugs tighter, he glares at Pidge.  “Oh calm down moron.  I’m not stealing your man.”  Keith kept glaring at her.  She rolls her eyes.  “You two have fun, I’m going to go find Hunk.”  She walks off.  The two look back at each other then started spinning.  They laughed and were having a good time.

* * *

The whole school day was pretty normal after that exciting morning.  Though Lance’s schedule was messed up thanks to Keith’s teasing, which resulted in Keith laughing at him.  Then he apologized like crazy, cause Lance was starting to ignore him.

Before they could walk out the door Pidge saw the two and drags them to the girls bathroom.

“What are you doing?!”  Keith asks.  She tells them to stay quiet and points at Shay who was standing with her friends.  She looked so nervous, they were trying to encourage her.

Hunk walks down the hallway, Shay runs up to him.

“HUNK!”  She yells, he jumps back in fear then calmed down.  She realized that she yelled.  “Oh my God I am sooo sorry Hunk!”

“Oh… Shay… it’s you… no no it’s fine, what is it?”

“Oh r-right… so prom is coming up right?”

“Yeah?”

“I was wondering if… if you don’t have someone to go with… I was wondering if…”

“You’re asking me to prom?”  He asks like it wasn’t true.

“I mean if you want to-”

“Sure!”

“Really?!”  Shay seemed way too happy.  “Great!  I’ll send you a picture of my dress.  Bye!”  She runs off, her friends follow her and giggle happily.  The three run out and hug Hunk.

“WHERE DID YOU GUYS COME FROM?!”  He freaks out.  They kept hugging him and laughing, congratulating him for finally getting a date with Shay.  Though Shay was the one to ask.

* * *

Lance helps Sam in and relaxed on the couch.  Isabella walks in and rests on the chair, Sam looks at her and smiles.

“Hey Mamá, prom is this week.”  He said.  Isabella immediately shot up.

“It is?!”

“Yeah, Lance is going.”  He smirks, Lance wanted to kill Sam.  Isabella was going to freak out and plan like crazy.

“We have to prepare for it!”  Yep she was starting.  “But how would this work?  Keith isn’t a woman so what color of tux would you wear?”  She asks.  Lance shrugs, he didn’t want to deal with it.

Isabella grabs Lance’s arm and drags him off.

“Mamá where are you taking me?!”

* * *

The cafe wasn’t too busy so Allura was looking at the ceiling tiles while Keith was teaching Coran how to play When I’m Gone with the cups.  Isabella storms in with Lance and runs to Allura.

“O-Oh Ms. McClain.  Can I help you?”

“No Sweetie, I need to see mijo.”

“Me-hoe?”  Allura raised an eyebrow.  Keith walks out and walks towards Isabella.

“You need me?”  He asks.  Isabella nods and lets go of Lance.  He runs into the kitchen and saw what Coran was trying to do.  He started showing him how to do it.  Keith looks at Isabella again.

“Yes mijo.  What are you wearing to prom?”

“YOU’RE GOING TO PROM?!”  Allura cuts in, Keith glares at her.  “YOU DIDN’T TELL ME YOU WERE GOING!”

“So what are you wearing?  Do you guys wear matching tuxes or is Lance wearing a dress?”  

“He’s wearing the dress!”  Lance shouts.  “He’s the princess!”

“I guess we’re wearing matching tuxedos.”  Keith said.  “I don’t know past that.”

“But we need to know color and all that!”  Isabella whines, Keith can see where Lance gets it.  They sound alike.

“I don’t know.”  Keith shrugs.  Allura jumps in.

“What is Lance’s favorite color?”  She asks.  “Well?”

“My favorite color?”  Lance calls from the kitchen.  “ _Mi color favorito es azul_.”  Coran looks at Lance and translates.

“I think he said his favorite color is blue.”

“Thanks for the translation Coran… we obviously needed it.”  Allura said sarcastically.  “You Keith?”

“Red.”

“So now we know what color to make the tuxes.”  Allura said with pride.  Keith and Isabella gave her a look.

“We said matching…”  Keith said.

“Yes, his favorite color is blue yours is red.  So obviously you two should wear purple for prom.”  Isabella looks at Allura confused.

“¿Qué?”  She cocks her head to the side.  “ _Lance, ¿qué dijo? ¿Qué es_ purple _?_ ”  She asks.  Lance came out of the kitchen and looks at her.

“Purple?”  He asks.  “ _Morado, quiere que nuestra esmoquin sea mamá morado._ ”  He said.  “ _Bueno, yo creo que están hablando de morado. Allura dijo que quiere mezclar rojo y azul y que hace morado._ ”  He explained, Isabella nods and looks at Allura like she was a genius.

“Yes, yes yes yes!   _Morado!”_  Isabella got real excited.  “ _¿por qué no pensé en eso? ¡Morado es perfecto para ustedes dos!_ ”

“I have to wear purple?!”

“Yes, come now you two.  We need to find your suits.”  She commands and tugs Keith along.

“Wait why am I going?!”

“My babies need suits now.”

“Now?!”

“Yes now!”  She shouts, Lance laughs behind them.

“Seriously, why pay for a wedding planner when Mamá can do it for free?”

“You wanna start planning that now?  Cause I have great ideas!”

“NO!”  Keith shouts in embarrassment.  He wonders how he was going to spend the rest of his miserable life with this crazy family… crap he was thinking about marriage.  Now Isabella is in on it too.  Keith wondered what would kill him faster while Isabella dragged him along the street.

* * *

Keith sat with Lance as Isabella was talking to the person at the front counter.  They had gotten their measurements and now are waiting for Isabella to get done.  Keith looks at Lance who was currently spacing off.  He wonders if Lance would notice if he’d left.  Keith smirks, he got up and hid under a tie shelf and looked at the time on his phone.  He was going to see how long it took.

“Lance?”  Isabella walks up.  “Where’s Keith?”

“Huh?”  Lance got out of la la land and looked around.  “He was next to me a second ago…”

“You lost your fucking boyfriend?!”

“N-No… okay yes but he can take care of himself!”  Lance argued, Keith giggles like a child.  They wandered around trying to find him.

“Did he leave?”

“I don’t know, you did drag him here against his will.”

“He needed to be here.”

“ _No, no lo hizo. Te has vuelto loco por un baile estúpido_.”  Lance comments.  Isabella glares at him.

“ _Cierra la boca._ ”  She hisses.  Lance rolls his eyes.  “ _¿No respetas a tu Mamá?!_ ”  She snaps, Lance shrieks and ran around the store while Isabella smacks him.

“ _¡No, no, yo amo mucho a Mamá! ¡Lo siento, voy a ser bueno, Mamá!_ ”  He whines, Keith was trying to hold in all his laughter.  He was having a good time.  The two stopped when they heard giggling.  Lance got on his knees and crawled around, he found a smiling Keith.  Lance gave him an unamused look, Keith chuckles.

“You found me.”

“Get out.”  Lance said.  Keith crawls out from under the tie shelf.  Isabella smacks his head, he yelps in pain.

“What the?!”

“ _¿Nos estabas escondiendo? ¡Eres un buen chico, eres mejor que eso! ¡No me hagas preocuparme!_ ”  She snaps, Keith couldn’t understand her when she was speaking fast.  He whimpers and tries his best to apologize.

“I-I’m sorry Mamá…”  He says in a quiet tone, those sad puppy eyes looking right at her.  Isabella couldn’t stay mad at that, she hugs him.

“It’s okay mijo.  Just stay where I can see you.”  She says and leads the two out.  Lance glares at Keith.

“Curse you and those eyes.”  Lance mumbles, Keith bats his beautiful eyes.  He knows that he can get away with anything with his eyes.

* * *

The school day that followed started the same, Lance walks in, Pidge clings to his back, then Keith and Hunk walks in.  Lance talks to the other guys casually while Pidge cuddles into Lance’s neck.  When they separate Pidge spoke up.

“So Lance wanna come over and play games?”

“Why only me?”

“Well cause Hunk is now in “prison” so you’re my only option.”

“Why not Keith?”

“Cause Allura got a wiiU now and lately we’ve been playing smash bros and MarioKart together and we’ve been teaming up or we’re kicking each others asses.”  She smiles.  “Kind of want a calmer person to play with.”

“Alright, I can come over.”  Lance said, Pidge gave her usual cute dorky grin.  Lance couldn’t help but smile back, she was precious.

* * *

That night Lance hung out with Pidge and Matt and they all hung out and played games, of course they had to pick Pidge’s rage game.  Matt and Lance would swap while Pidge kept playing.  She’d yell at the cpus then blame one of the boys for something that they played no part in, Matt usually was involved somehow.

Soon enough Pidge got her phone out and called Keith.  He answered.

“What do you want nerd?”

“What are you doing?”  She asks, they could hear a page flip.  “You’re reading again?”  She asks.

“Sue me.”

“Well get ready to play MarioKart, got your pathetic excuse for a boyfriend here.”

“Hey!”  Lance was offended.  Matt laughed at him, Lance threw a pillow at him, Matt threw it back.  They engaged in an epic pillow fight.  Pidge groans, they should not be in the same room.

“Okay give me a sec.”  They heard a few noises and a meow.  Finally Keith sat down and put his phone on speaker.  “I’m on.”  They got on and started a race, Lance picked his usual racer Lakitu with a cat car and wooden wheels.

“Oh my God Lance we’ve talked about this!”

“Hush it!”  Lance looked at Keith who was Bowser in a tiny ladybug car.  “You aren’t going to comment on Bowser over there?!”

“I play as Bowser, I play to win.”  Keith quotes, that got the Holts to laugh while Lance sat there confused.  Americans… he’ll never get them.

They played for a while and it started again.  Keith did something, Pidge got mad, Lance wanted no part in it.

* * *

Shiro walks in and notices Keith playing MarioKart again.  He walks over and sat next to his brother.

“Hey Pidge.”

“Shiro tell your brother to stop being a little shit!”

“Hi Shiro.”

“Hey Lance.”  He watched Keith race and/or mess with Pidge.  After a while Shiro wanted to join in.  They stopped their game and let Shiro join in, they did a team race and Keith regrets his decision.  Shiro was worse than Lance, he was somehow worse than Lance.

“Am I winning?”  He was going backwards on the track.

“No...no you are not winning!”  Keith shouts.  “You are going backwards!”

“Is that why this guy is following me?”  Shiro asks.

“WHY DO YOU THINK?!”  Keith was getting frustrated.  The others laughed.

“I am glad Lance is on my team for once!”

“Ha ha ha ha-Ow…”  Lance whimpers.  Shiro finally turned himself around and made it to the finish line, dead last.  

“I think I did good.”  Shiro said happily.

“I wanna change partners!”

“No!”  Pidge yells happily.  “I have Lance now!  I will win and you will suffer for once!”  She laughs evilly.  Keith groans while Shiro kept trying.  Soon enough Keith threw the controller and pouts.

“You are horrible!  You are worse than Lance!”

“I can hear you.”  Lance said in a sad tone.

“It’s a game Keith, you shouldn’t be this upset by us not winning.  It’s suppose to be fun.”

“Screw that I wanna win!”  He pouts, Shiro pats his little brother’s head and kept playing.  They all quit for the day and went about what they were doing before, Keith stayed on the couch and continued to pout.

* * *

The next day Keith talks to Pidge about next time Shiro be on her team.  They argued while Lance talked to Hunk.

“So is your Mom letting you go out to prom?”

“She says that’s fine cause Shay is a good person and all that.  She sent me the dress color.”

“Color?”

“Like an up close picture, she said she wanted to surprise me with it.”  Hunk looked really nervous.  Lance pats his back.

“I’m proud of you, you’re going with your dream girl.”  That made Hunk smile.  “I told you she liked you.”

“Yeah… you sure she’s not doing this cause she feels sorry for me?”

“No, did you hear her stutter?  She sounded worse than Keith.”  Keith threw something at his boyfriend’s head.  “OW!”  He glares at him real quick then went back to Hunk.  “Trust me she’s crushing on you big time.  I’ve talked to her before.”

“How did you talk to her?!”  Hunk looks at his friend like talking to Shay was an accomplishment.  Lance raised an eyebrow.

“Cause Mullet over there.”  Lance points at Keith who was way to into his conversation with Pidge to hear him.  “It’s easy to talk to someone when you’re not into them.”

“You could talk to Keith easily.”  Hunk points out, Lance smirks.

“I’m just good when it comes to romance.”  He said, Keith laughs at him.  “At least I don’t fall flat on my face when I get flirted with!”

“Shut up!”  Keith barks.  Lance huffs and looks back at Hunk while the other two went back to their conversation.  Hunk points at them.

“What are they talking about?”  He asks, Lance looks over.

“Dunno, let’s listen.”  The pretend to be on their phones while overhearing.  Pidge nods with an evil grin.

“So we’ll partner up against Shiro next time?”

“Yes!”

“I love you Kogane.”  They high five, Lance went to his messages to text Shiro what he just heard.  “By the way Keith.”  Pidge starts again.  “I want help finding a dress for prom, wanna help?”

“You want someone with my taste in fashion helping you?”  He jokes around.  Pidge nods.

“Duh, you’re like the most stylish person I know.”  She says, Keith looks down embarrassed.  He messed with a lock of his hair and nods.

“S-Sure I guess I can help.  I can ask Allura too.”

“Yeah bring my only female friend along too.”  She nods, tomorrow?”

“Sure.”  They made their plan.  Lance smirks and texted Shiro the plan, Shiro agrees to it.

“Hey Pidge.”  Lance acted like he wasn’t listening.  “I wanna play MarioKart again, can I come over maybe Friday?”

“Actually….”  Pidge smiles at Keith.  “I’ve made plans with Keith.”

“Keith are you cheating on me with Katie?!”  Lance acts hurt.  Keith laughs.

“Yes, I lied to you this whole time.  I’m straight~”  He said in an evil tone and got closer.  Lance gasps.

“How could you?!  I loved you, you monster!”  Lance pretends to cry, Keith shook his head.  He was still laughing.

“Gotta go to class you weirdo.”  He kisses Lance and walks off.

“See you at Lunch Keith!”  Hunk calls.  Keith lifts one hand up to say ‘yeah see you later’.  Pidge crawls on Lance’s back and they separated from Hunk.

* * *

The next day after school Keith takes Pidge to the mall with Allura.  The three got out and walked around.  Keith looks at Allura.

“So did you close the cafe down?”

“Yes, Coran is grateful for a night off.”  She said with a smile.  The three walked into a shop that was selling a ton of dresses.  Pidge looks at all the dresses for taller women.

“I just turned fifteen and all the dresses look like they were made for eighteen year olds.”  She said.  Keith laughs, Allura was admiring the beautiful gowns.

“Do you know your dress size?”

“Yes.”  Pidge nods.  She tells Allura her dress size and the group looks around.  Keith spoke up.

“How about something short to show off your legs.  Also shorter dresses would make you look cuter.”  He comments.  Pidge gave him a look.

“No.”

“I think Keith is on to something.”  Allura comments.  Pidge groans.  They picked out a few dresses and she had to try them all on.  This was going to be a long night.

* * *

Lance walks into the apartment where Shiro was waiting.  He pats the spot next to him, Lance smiles and sat down with Shiro, Black sits next to Lance happily.  No Keith to take the nice boy away.

“I can’t believe they would team up against us.”  Lance said as he picked up a wiimote.

“To be honest I’m not surprised.”  Shiro spoke up.  They played for a bit and smiles.

“So you know what to do?”

“Yep.”  Shiro smirks, both boys giggle like children and played.  “By the way I got my lady in on this too.”

“I love you both.”  Lance comments.  They continue to laugh and play.

* * *

“Allura this dress doesn’t work either!”  Pidge yells.

“It doesn’t?”  She thinks for a moment.  Keith got bored and began to wonder around the store.  Pidge came out in her normal clothes and returned them to their spots.  Allura looks around them and spots the perfect dress.

It was cute and came with an adorable little headband.  Pidge looks at it and decided to try it.  Pidge came out and Allura awes.

“Keith look at this!”  Allura said.  Keith walked over and his eyes went wide.

“You look so beautiful!”  Keith said happily.  Pidge smiles and twirls.

“Does this really look good?”  She asks.  Keith took a picture of her.

“I have to send this to Lance, he will flip!”  He said.  Pidge laughs and dances around with Allura.

“This is it!  This is the dress~”  She sings, Allura laughs and dips Pidge.  She got out of Allura’s grasp and changed back.  Pidge bought it and Allura lead them to another store for shoes and makeup.

This was Allura’s area of expertise so the other two walked around and talked.

“So are you ready for prom?”

“I guess…”  Keith smiles.  “I really want to go.  I told Lance I did.”

“So you talked loverboy into going to prom?”  Pidge laughs, that got Keith to laugh too.  He nods though.  “I swear he’ll do anything for you.”

“I’m his princess.”  Keith said with a smile, Pidge pats his head.  She was trying not to laugh at him.  Allura walks back and points upstairs.  They groan and walk on the escalator.  They walked around again while Allura looked for the perfect makeup for Pidge.

Keith was listening to Pidge talk about a new game coming out soon when Keith stopped at a certain dress.  He walks up to it and looks at it, it was pretty.

“Oi Pidge, look at this.”  He calls his bestie over to look at the dress.  It was a long slim dress with a cut down the right side.  It had a ribbon on the side which was suppose to be the straps… strap.  The ribbon had a big white plastic gem on it.  Pidge nods.

“You’d have to be the sexiest woman on the planet to pull this off… that or the most confident drag queen…”  She comments.  Allura walks up to them and notices the dress.

“Ooh it’s pretty.”  Allura comments.  “Magenta fades into a beautiful purple.  Looks like space.”

“The sparkles could be stars.”  Pidge said.  “And that thing is… something in space…  I need to study this stuff more if I’m going into this kind of thing.”  She said, that got Allura to laugh.  Keith picks up the lower part of the dress and smiles, his cheeks were a light pink.

“I really like this…”  He said.  Allura thought for a moment then smiles.

“Let’s go get some makeup and try on shoes.”

“Aw.”  Pidge groans, Keith puts the dress down and walks away.  Allura smiles at him, Keith’s eyes went wide.  He smiles and caught up with them.

* * *

Friday came up sooner than the group anticipated.  They got everything they needed and were just waiting to get prom over with.  Sure it’s a fun dance but they had to prepare for it.  One night of fun but a week’s worth of planning.  That afternoon Keith drove to Pidge’s house and the two got ready to play.

“So I was telling Shiro about playing with us online.”

“Nice.”  She nods.  “You tell him what we were gonna do?”

“Pfft no?  I wanna shock him.”  He got on his phone and called Shiro.  He answered.

“Hey-o.”

“Sup Bro.  Ready to play?”

“Yeah, I invited Lance over so he can play too.”

“Hi you guys.”  Lance said.  The two look at each other, the biggest grins on their faces.  Shiro and Lance were a team… this was gonna be great.

* * *

Lance and Shiro smirk evilly.  The game started and immediately the two drove off and were doing great.  Pidge and Keith sounded so confused, Pidge had to ask.

“I-I’m in fifth place… who’s first?!”

“Whoever it is they’re getting a blue shell.”  Keith comments as he threw the shell.

“NO!”  Shiro shouts as he got hit.

“Don’t worry bro I got you!”  Lance takes first for him.  Shiro kept second.  They kept the first two spots the whole time.  Pidge saw who they were.

“YOU’RE BOTH FUCKING LAKITU?!”

“Lakitu brothers~”  Lance sings.

“I swear to God you better no- GOD DAMMIT YOU TWO!”  She shouts, Shiro and Lance laugh and kick the ground.  Not only were they both Lakitu, they were driving the cat car and had wooden wheels.  Oddly enough those two had the same sense of humor.

Those two kept winning and keeping the first two spots.  It was pissing the other two off.  Pidge screams in anger while Keith’s silence was scarier than Pidge’s rage.

“THIS ISN’T FUCKING FAIR!”  She shouts, Shiro and Lance laugh.

“Maybe next time you two should talk about your evil plans in a place where people can hear you.”  Shiro comments.  Pidge gasps.

“Lance…. You WHORE!”  She yells.  Lance giggles.

“What?  You think little old me had anything to do with this?”  He asks in a girly voice.  Keith spoke up.

“You told Shiro about this?”

“Hell yeah I did.  We were training while you guys were gone.”

“I was in on it too.”  Allura comments.  The other two gasp over the phone.  She laughs evilly.

“WE TRUSTED YOU!”

“Yeah I know you did.  In the end I’m siding with my boyfriend.”  Allura said happily.  Lance and Shiro mock them as they won for the eighth time.  Pidge and Keith learned a valuble lesson that day.

That those three suck.


	51. One Song and Many Moments

Lance was putting the suit when Sarah walked in.  She giggles and hugs her brother, he smiles and sways side to side with her.

“ _ Hermano mayor, te ves muy guapo~ _ ”

“ _ Gracias Sarah. _ ”  He said.  Sarah walks down with him, Sam looks over and whistles.

“Nice bro.  You look like a decent human being.”

“Oh ha ha ha.”  He rolls his eyes, Isabella walks in and motions for a twirl.  Lance agrees and gives his mom a quick spin.  She covers her mouth.

“You are so handsome.  _  ¡Mi bebé ... tan crecido! _ ”

“Jeez Mamá.”  Lance comments.  He looks at his phone and scrolls through his messages.  Keith’s car pulled up moments later.  “Gotta go, byeseeyatonightloveya!”  He got his farewells out of the way and ran to the car.  He saw Keith had his hair up again and looked real uncomfortable.  “Hey  _ Cariño _ .”

“Hi.”  Keith said.  “This suit sucks, I hate it.”

“I think it’s fine.”  Lance comments.

“Yeah cause you look good in it.”

“So do you.”  Lance got his flirty face.  “ _ Bebé tan sexy~ _ ”  Keith’s face blew up a crimson color.  Lance laughs at Keith’s flustered state.

“S-S-Shut up!”

“I-I-I’m being honest.”  Lance mocks him.  “You look way too good in that.  It should be illegal to look this fine.”  Lance messes with Keith’s hair as he drove down to meet their friends.  “And you’re all mine~”

“Remember what I said about you being a cornchip?”  Keith teases.

“Come on!”  Lance whines.  “Why won’t you love me back?!”

“Aw you want my love?”

“Yes.”

“Too bad.”

“Tonight is ruined.”  Lance pouts, he took his phone out of his pocket and looks at his messages.  “Hunk said he’s already at the place, Shay decided to join us… surprising.  And Pidge says she’ll be there in a minute.”

“Cool.”  Keith said.  They arrived at the restaurant and walked in.  Hunk and Shay wave them over.  They both had yellow on.  Shay had a strapless dress and it faded from cream to a dark yellow.  Her hair is resting on her right side and wore flats.  She was just beautiful.

“Hi you two.”  Lance says.

“What are you two supposed to be, Men in Black?”  Hunk teases them in their tuxes.  Lance rolls his eyes and Keith pouts.

“Told you I look bad.”  Keith comments.  Shay giggles.

“No you both look great.”  She says.  “So now we wait for Katie?”

“No need I’m here!”  She runs in with her short green dress, she looked like a little princess.  Mostly a nature princess.  She didn’t have her glasses on showing off her long lashes and beautiful face.  “You guys look good.  Aw Lance, no glasses?”  Pidge took some bread from the middle as she teased him.

“Nope, finally got some contacts.”  He says happily.

“You better keep wearing them, only way I can tell you and your surprisingly not twin brother apart.”

“Oh my gosh Pidge you have boobs, now I can tell you and your surprisingly not twin brother apart.”

“Shut up Lance.”  She smirks and took a huge bite of bread.

“Way to wait for the rest of us.”  Lance comments.  Pidge and Keith both stuffed their faces with bread.  Lance raised an eyebrow.  “You two need to stop.  You’ll ruin your appetite.”

“NOM!”  Pidge yells as she bit into another piece of bread.  Lance took Keith’s arm and held him back so he wouldn’t eat any more.

“Guys seriously.  Leave some for the rest of us.”  Lance scolds.  Shay took a piece and picks it apart in smaller pieces, Pidge and Keith watch her for a bit then began to copy her.  It was cute, like two kids copying their sister.

The waiter came by and got their orders.  Soon enough they were messing with their soda glasses and talking about random stuff.  Pidge brought up the topic of “what Pokemon starter would you be?” and everyone got involved.

“You’d be a Chikorita.”  Lance told Pidge.  She smirks.

“A Chikorita?  Really?”

“They’re small and cute.”  Lance points out.  “And they become a Meganium, only difference is that those are tall and you’re tiny.”

“Shush up.  If Meganium was real I’d ride one into battle.”  She said in a confident tone.

“When would you be in a battle?”  Hunk asks.

“Quiet Garrett!”  She snaps.  “Hm… You’d be a Torchic.”  She points at Keith.  He cocks his head to the side.

“A Torchic?”

“Yeah, it becomes a Blaziken!  A badass fire fighting type!”

“Cool!”  Keith’s eyes sparkle.

“Mega Ultra Chicken.”  Lance chuckles, Keith was very confused.  Lance left Keith to be confused.  He looks at Hunk.  “You’d be a Turtwig.”  Hunk smiles.

“Hell yeah I’m gonna be a Torterra.”  He says.  Shay laughs and looks at Lance.

“I’d say you’re a … Poplio.”

“Poplio?”  Lance asks.

“It becomes a Primarina, right?”  She asks.  “An elegant mermaid pokemon.”

“Actually it’s a siren.”  Pidge points out.  “Also it makes sense.  You swim like a damn mermaid and/or siren.  Also it’s a performer and suppose to take the spotlight so hey it’s totally you.”  She looks at Shay for a moment.  “I’d say you’re a Chespin.”  Pidge says happily.  Lance looks over at Keith.

“Damn, we’re the only non-grass types here.”  Lance says.  “My water type ass is scared.”

“I’ll protect you, I can kill them all.”  Keith said with a wicked smile.

“But I’d be a Chesnaught so I’m part fighting.”  Shay says, impressing Pidge with her knowledge so far.

“So is Keith.”  Lance points out.  “He’s Mega Ultra Chicken.”

“Quit calling me that!”  Keith punches Lance’s arm.  “So yeah I could burn you.”

“I’m part ground.”  Hunk adds on.

“Again, fighting type.”  Pidge says.

“So Keith is the victor here?”

“Yeah, Lance is part fairy also Blaziken is faster so if he had a good fighting move Lance would be down for the count.”

“Ha ha ha!”  Keith laughs evilly.  “I win!  I am the ultimate starter!”

“You have too much power.”  Lance says in an over dramatic tone.  

“Says the dude with a Z move.”  Hunk says.

“Hey, this one is powerful AND has a mega evolution!”  Lance points out, Keith bounces in his seat and giggles.  Their food came and they began to eat.  “Also I may survive cause Primarina is tanky, so I’d use the Z move and you’d be down.”  Lance pokes his boyfriend’s cheek.  Keith stuck his tongue out.

“I’ll know Brick Break.  Fear me.”  Keith deadpans, Lance pouts and looks away.  Everyone laughs at the weird argument the two were having, Pidge was glad she started the topic cause this was great.

“Funny thing is…”  Shay started.  “When I played Hoenn I started with a Mudkip.”  Pidge gives her wide eyes.

“You play?”

“I only have a Gameboy, my brother has the DS.”  Shay comments.  “I’ve been saving up for one but with school and cheer practice I barely have time to find a job.”  She points out as she picked at her chicken alfredo.  “But I’ve played Blue, Gold, and Emerald.  So I’ve gotten the first three gens down.”  Everyone stares at her, she continues to pick at her food.  Finally she looks at everyone.

“You all okay?”

“Hunk, marry her.”  Pidge says without hesitation.  Hunk panics.

“W-WHAT?!”

“Marry her.”  She repeats.  Both Hunk and Shay were beyond embarrassed.  Keith and Lance giggle to themselves.

“I call being best man!”  Lance says causing Pidge to join their laughter.

“You guys aren’t funny.”  Hunk pouts.  He stares at his order of soup and sandwich.  “This is tiny.”

“Want some of my pasta?”  Shay asks.  “I won’t be able to finish it.”  She took a plate for bread and puts some of her pasta on it.  Hunk takes it with an appreciated smile.

“You are so kind.”  He pretends to cry, though it’s Hunk so maybe he was crying.  Keith picks his steak up with his fork and tried biting a piece off.  Lance stares at him, practically judging him.

“ _ Usa un cuchillo, idiota. _ ”  He comments, Keith looks up at him with the steak still in his mouth.  Lance swears Keith must be some animal in another reality or something… 

“Ah… um let’s see…”  Keith took the food out of his mouth and tried to process what Lance just said.  He picks up the knife with a proud smile.

“Yes, use the stupid knife.”  Lance says and continues to eat.  “Hunk you’re right this shit is tiny.”  He and Hunk ordered the same thing, the suffered with the consequences.

“Yeah.  It wasn’t the best idea.”  Hunk comments, they look over at Pidge who has the manners of a dog and shoving spaghetti in her gaping muaw.  “Slow down Katie.”

“Uim shtawvinn.”  She says with her mouth full.  They all finished and then of course the man came back with a plate of desserts.  They all had to order something.

“I thought you said you were full.”  Pidge comments to Shay, she giggles.

“There’s always room for dessert.”  She says.

“Okay Hunk she was practically made for you.”  Pidge comments.  Hunk had to hide his face again, Shay fans herself she was so embarrassed.

Dessert came and Pidge couldn’t finish her cake, Keith took it and finished it as well as his own.  An appetite like no other.  The five walk out of the place and all shoved into Keith’s car, they blare out Keith’s music and drove down the city streets to prom.

* * *

The plaza outside of the dance area was crowded with men with no jackets and cold girls with their date’s jackets.  They’ve been waiting for a while, and the five still had a half an hour to wait.  Shay and Pidge both shivered in the cold, curse them for being women.  Hunk gives Shay his jacket while Pidge hid in between Keith and Lance.  They both held onto her to keep her warm.

The crowd of kids huddled together to keep warm, just waiting for the teachers and supervisors to open up.  Soon enough they got let in, well a line formed but they got in soon enough.  They all went into the dance floor and Keith and Pidge immediately sit down and watch everything.  Lance gave those two a look.

“It’s called a dance for a reason you two.”

“I can’t dance, unlike you.”  Pidge says.  “Where’s Hunk?”  Hunk walks over to them.  “Shay ditch ya?”

“No her friends wanted to do a selfie.  I told her I’d find you guys while she stayed with them for a bit.”

“Okay.”  Lance nods.  “GET UP YOU LAZY PEOPLE!”  He tugs on their arms, both of them groan and fall on the floor.

“Be nice to me, I’m wearing heels.”

“Don’t care, get up!”

“If you loved me you wouldn’t do this to me.”  Keith whines.  Lance groans and lets them go, he gives up.  The two made no effort to get back up so they fell on the floor.

Soon enough everyone was on the dancefloor dancing like crazy, the four had to walk out cause it was too crowded.  It was a lot smaller than the gym floor at school but thank God there was a resting area.  Hunk took some snacks and brought it to their table.  Pidge looked bored out of her mind.

“My Mom said no DS at prom and now I have nothing, NOTHING!”

“Ooooh social interaction for a while, how will you ever survive?”  Lance teases, she glares at him.

“I have to go to this and after prom.  Which should be interesting.  I’ve heard they got some awesome prizes this year.  Like an iPad and a Switch and even a gift certificate to Dave & Busters!”

“So everything a nerd like you needs to survive.”

“Yes… Shut up.”  She lightly hits Lance’s arm.  The group stayed seated and talked a bit, Hunk even recording Pidge and Lance goofing off at one point.  Basically Lance put Pidge on his shoulders and shouts Pidgey attack while she shrieked like an obnoxious animal as they ran through the entire building.  Meanwhile Keith was hiding his face pretending he didn’t know them.

Shay found Hunk soon enough and dragged him off to get a prom picture.  Lance looks at Keith.

“You want one?”  He teases, Keith shrugs.

“I dunno, I’m not a picture person.”  He said as he picks at the little decorations on the table.  Pidge looks at the picture booth, Lance pokes her head.

“You okay Pidgey?”

“Hm?”  She looks up surprised.  “Yeah I guess.”  She looks back at Hunk and Shay who were leaving the picture area and went to the dancefloor.  “Guess it’s kind of odd…”

“What is?”  Lance asks.

“I’m the only one in the group who doesn’t have a date.  I feel like a third wheel here.”  She admits.  Keith and Lance look at each other then back at her, before one of them could retaliate she spoke up.  “Don’t say I’m not.  This is suppose to be a special dance for people who are dating and all and I’m sitting with you two cause I have no one, but you two are suppose to spend your time together.”

They looked back at each other.  Pidge was messing with the confetti on the table, so she was occupied.  Lance gestures to the photo booth, Keith points at Pidge.  Lance smiles and nods, signaling him to get up.

“Well we’re going to get our picture.”

“Okay, I’ll be here.”  Pidge said.  Keith picks her up and carries her in by her arms.  “What the heck?”  She gave them a confused look.  “Um guys?”

“What?”  Lance asks.  “We’re getting a prom picture.”  Lance filled out a sheet and paid for it.

“Yeah but why am I he-AH!”  Keith drags her to the cheesy backdrop, their theme was stars and space so they had dumb stars and saturn in the back.  Lance runs up and stood on the other side of Pidge.  She looks at them confused.

“Say cheese!”  The lady said, they all looked at the camera and smiled.  “Okay one more time.”  As she got ready Lance got Keith’s attention.  He points at his lips then back at Pidge, Keith’s face lit up and he nods.  “Alright, say cheese!”

As she said that both boys gave Pidge a kiss on both cheeks.  Her eyes nearly bulged out of her head, her face blew up in a crimson color.  The lady taking the picture laughed.

“Nice one you three, all done I’ll mail them to you later.”

“Thanks.”  Lance said and they walked out with Pidge, she smacks the two in embarrassment.

“Why did you two do that?!”

“I got to kiss the prettiest girl I know at prom so it’s a win for me.”  Lance teases, Pidge went back to being embarrassed.  She hid her face behind her hands.  “Damn Sam is gonna be so jealous of me~”

“SHUT UP LANCE!”  She shouts, both boys laugh.  Keith hugs her tightly and got her to look up at him.

“We really love you Pidge.”  He said in a kind voice.  Pidge hugs Keith back and buries her face in his suit.

“I-I love you guys too.”

* * *

The group danced with one another for what felt like ten minutes but actually an hour and a half went by.  Pidge brought in a stick from outside and chased Lance with it.  Hunk recorded it again while Shay leaned against him lovingly.  Keith smiles, perfect timing.

He ran outside while everyone was distracted.  He came back moments later and saw Pidge holding the stick in the air like she was He-Man and had one foot on Lance.  She was victorious.

Keith ran up to her and pulled her aside.

“Ka-”  He saw she was still holding the stick.  He took it from her and threw it outside.  “Katie are you still in on this?”  He held up an old backpack that belonged to Shiro at one point.  “You said you’re good at doing girly things, right?”

“Who do you think you’re talking to?”  She raised an eyebrow.  “I did my makeup and hair by myself thank you very much.”

“Great…. Let’s go.”  He drags her away, Shay saw them run off.  She was very very confused.

“Shay?”  Lance walks up to her.  “Have you seen Keith anywhere?  He suddenly vanished.”

“Yeah, I saw him run with Pidge to the restrooms.”

“Really?”  He whines.  “Damn, he was the one who wanted to go to this dance.”  Hunk walks up and looks at Lance.  “Shay saw them, hopefully they’ll be back.”

“Okay.”  He nods and puts a hand on Shay’s shoulder.  They stood there awkwardly waiting for their friends to come back.

* * *

“Hold still!”  Pidge snaps.  Keith growls at her.  “If you keep moving it’ll look horrible!”  Keith only hissed at her like a cat would.  “Don’t hiss at me!  God you were so good up until now!”

“How does Shiro put this crap on everyday without fail?”  Keith asked.

“Dunno but hold still!”  She commands, Keith growls again.  A girl walks in and shrieks when she saw Keith was in the women’s room.

“What are you looking at?  Beat it!”  He snaps at her, the girl and her friends all ran out in fear.  Pidge smacks his head.

“Be nice, technically you’re not suppose to be in here.”

“It’s a free country.”

* * *

Lance and Shay did a goofy shuffle together while Hunk was happy to get so many good things on film that night.

“I’ll have to make this a youtube video.”

“You better, Shay and I will become FAMOUS!”  Lance grabs her by her waist and dips her, she poses dramatically.

“What is going on?”  Pidge asks.  Lance helps Shay get back on her feet and points at Pidge.

“Where have you been young lady?”  He asks.  “And where the hell is my boyfriend?”  He looks around for him, Pidge smiles and points.

“Behold!”  She shouts.  Everyone’s jaw dropped at Keith.  He was wearing a dress, the dress he found at the mall.  His hair was down and straightened out, touching his upper back.  He wore purple heels with a plastic gem on them that looked like the one on his dress, his leg was showing through the cut.  He also wore earrings… his ears were pierced?!

He shyly walks up to them and looks down.

“S-So how is it?”  He asks.  Hunk, Shay, and Lance were all standing there speechless.  Keith looks at Lance and checked something, he chuckles.  “Hey I’m taller than you.”  Lance could see the makeup on Keith’s face.  Eyeshadow that sparkled like his dress, it was the same color too.  Soft pink lipstick coated his delicate lips and light blush.  Keith, the most feared kid in their entire school was standing there in a dress and was absolutely gorgeous.

“So is my prince charming here gonna ask me to dance or what?”  He teases as he held his hand out.  Lance slowly reached up and took it, leading him out to the dancefloor.  Pidge smirks at them while Hunk gave her a look.  She noticed his judgemental staring.

“Hey don’t look at me, this was all Keith’s idea.”

“I have a hard time believing that.”  Hunk admits, Pidge pushes him.

“Get on the dancefloor and get your dream girl moron.”

“Wha-?”

“Quit wasting your time with me and go dance with Shay.”  Pidge said.  Hunk gave her a worried look, he didn’t want to leave her alone.  “Hey I’ll be fine man, okay?”  She gave him a reassuring smile.  He nods and took Shay out.  Pidge sat down and watched everyone dance.

Lance was still having a hard time looking at Keith, and not because he was a few centimeters taller.  Keith felt the awkward vibe and sighs.

“I look bad don’t I…”

“Wha- No no no!  Not at all!”

“Then why are you so uncomfortable?”  Keith asks, Lance couldn’t think of anything to say really.  Well that’s not true, he wanted to say many things.  Like you’re beautiful and you take my breath away and every other cheesy movie line you could think of.  But Lance couldn’t bring himself to say any of that.

Instead he buries his face in Keith’s neck, trying to hide from him.  Keith raised an eyebrow, more concerned than confused.

“Lance?”

“How?”  Lance started.  “How can you look this good in a dress?”  He asks, Keith blushed happily.

“You think I look good?”  He asks.  Lance couldn’t joke around or tease him, he nods slightly.  He got out of his shoulder and looks him dead in the face.

“You look like a princess.”  Lance said calmly.  Keith couldn’t hold back, he smiled brightly at Lance and hugged him.  Lance pulls him in closer, if that was even possible, and swayed back and forth.  “My beautiful Princess.”  He hums.

Lance slowly pushes away and grabs his phone.  Keith got close and smiles, Lance took their picture and looks at it.

“You even smile like a princess.”  Lance finally teases.  Keith pushed him, the two laughed for a bit then noticed Pidge sitting all alone.  The two felt bad, Keith whispers to Lance, he nods and began to text.

* * *

Minutes went by and Lance walks up to Pidge.

“Hey could you do me a big favor and go outside for like a minute?”

“What are you plotting McClain?”  She asks in a dull voice, she was kind of bored cause she was doing nothing.  Lance gave her big eyes.

“Please?”

“Why?”

“Just do it!”

“Fine, just don’t fuck Keith while I’m gone.  I know you two, you get pretty sexual around each other.”  She deadpans.

“NOT TRUE!  WE’RE IN PUBLIC!”

“So you admit to being sexual?”

“NO!  J-Just go outside!”

“Yes Mother.”  She teases and walks outside.  Nothing, why is she outside when it’s cold, though the cold air was welcoming.  Inside was full of hot, sweaty teenagers so it felt nice to go out and enjoy the breeze.

Pidge saw someone messing with a rock, she peeks over and was a little surprised.

“Sam?  What are you doing here?”  She asks, Sam jumped out of his skin.  Well he had his scare for the day.

“Lance told me to come down here to check something out and I’ve been here for at lea-”  He stops when he saw Pidge, all dressed up and pretty.  Sam was about to die, his chest was already burning.  “So yeah… I’ve been here for at least ten minutes.”  He looks down awkwardly, Pidge held her arm and was kind of the same way.

Sam always acted so odd around her and she never knew why.  She makes fun of Lance for being oblivious.  She wondered why Lance would tell Sam to come down, he was inside with Keith.  The DJ spoke up.

“Alright boys and girls it’s time for a slow song~”  Everyone got their partner, or just left if they didn’t have one, and began to dance.  Pidge smiles, so this is why Lance invited his brother.

“Samuel?”  Pidge got his attention.  She held her arm out, he looks at her for a moment than back at her arm.  He slowly took it and the two danced together.  Pidge couldn’t help but smile, dancing with someone was actually kind of nice, and Sam seems to know what he’s doing.  Every McClain’s a dancer.

Sam laughed, Pidge realized she said that part out loud.  She tensed up a bit, okay that was embarrassing.

“Yeah, almost all of us.”  He said.  Pidge smiles at him, she lets go of his hands and moves to his shoulders.  She got closer and rests her head on him, hearing his heart beat faster and faster.

* * *

Keith was having a real hard time dancing in heels, he got pissed off and took them off.  Lance watched him as he did and his mouth watered at Keith’s legs.  Very small and dainty, Keith had the legs of a woman.

“You look way too good.”

“I do?”

“Totally.”  Lance kissed Keith’s cheek, the other boy blushed and looked away.  Another slow song was announced and Lance dragged Keith up to dance.  The song began to play and the two swayed carefully to the song.  The lyrics made Keith look up and listen, he’s never heard this song before and it was different.

“Something wrong?”  Lance asked.  Keith kept listening, his life the past few months played through his head.  Meeting Lance, growing closer, making friends, Rebecca, the whole McClain family accepting him, falling in love, everything.  He began to cry.

“Keith what’s wrong?”  Lance asks, Keith said nothing.  He continued to cry in Lance’s shoulder, not even caring if anyone saw.  Lance looks around and smiles.  “Fire meet Gasoline huh?”  He buries his face into Keith’s hair.  “This’ll be our song.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact~ Sia's "Fire meet Gasoline" was what inspired this whole fanfiction so I wanted to include it at some point. You need to listen to it if you haven't.


	52. The Day After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To Cece: Please don't punch me through the screen, the story isn't over yet...

Lance woke up at about nine o'clock, successfully getting seven hours of sleep.  Sam was up and playing Twilight Princess.  Lance sat on the couch and watched him play for a bit, Sam didn’t look away from his game when he spoke up.

“Morning.”

“Hey.”  Lance responds.  “What temple is this?”

“The fourth one.”  Sam said.  “Everything is in odd places.”

“Yeah, I remember this one.”  Lance said.

“Really?”

“No… I got lost in the third temple.”  Lance began to chuckle, Sam punches his arm.  He was smiling himself.  

“So how was last night?”

“Ya mean post prom?”  Lance asks, Sam nods.  “Oh it was fun, they had a hypnotist who actually hypnotised Keith!  A karaoke machine which Hunk and I did an amazing duet while Pidge performed a solo with Keith clapping along on stage.  Lazer tag, Shay won somehow.  And a bunch of games where you could win tickets and get prizes!”

“Keith and I played blackjack for a long time but I hated it.  He kept winning.”

“Did you win something?”  Sam asks.

“Yes~  I got this ukulele!”  Lance pulled out a ukulele from under the couch and played a small tune on it.  Sam was covering his face laughing.  “I put my name in other things too, one I had to put it in was the ipad plus stylist, an expensive pen for your stupid tablet.”

“Why?”

“Just cause.”  Lance said.  “So did you have fun last night?”  Lance smirks at his brother, he could see the blush creep up on his face.

“You told me you needed something and I stood in the cold for ten minutes!  You’re lucky my legs didn’t give out!”  Sam snaps.  Lance laughs at him.

“I’m asking if you liked dancing with Pidge moron.”  Lance lightly hit’s Sam’s head.  Sam looked back at his game.

“I… I guess…”  He said.  “I was so scared, fearing my legs would give out.  I’m glad that didn’t happen.”  He said, he paused the game and smiles.  “She was really pretty…”

“Um… you’re welcome.”

“Shut up!”  Sam punched him again.  Isabella walks down all ready for work and squeals when she saw her son.  Lance sat there and accepted his fate.  His mother tackled down, wanting all the details.

“Soooo how did it go?”  She asks.  Lance held up his prize.  “Besides the stupid little guitar.”

“Stupid?”  Offended.

“What happened?  Tell your Mamá!”  She whines while shaking her son.  Lance groans and pulls her away.

“Kay kay kay.”  Lance smiles.  “So we went to dinner and I learned Pidge has the manners of a dog.  We went to the dance, Keith and I got a picture with Pidge.  Keith wore a dress, Hunk is no longer single, and Sam danced with Pidge.”

“Hold up…”  She looks at Lance.  “When did Sam go?”

“I texted him telling him to come over cause Pidge didn’t have a date.  Sam likes her so it was okay.”  Lance now noticed Sam giving his brother a look of betrayal.  Isabella slowly looks at Sam.

“You like someone?”  She asks.  Sam shook his head, Lance smirks.

“He has a huge crush on my friend Pidge.  You know…”  Lance took his phone out and held up a picture of Pidge at post prom holding up a gun with Keith.  “Pidgey.”

“Her?”  She looks at Sam.  “You like her?  Since when?!”  Isabella asks.  Sam groans and looks back at his game.  Isabella was persistent.  “Samuel McClain when did you start liking this girl?!”

“ _¡Déjame en paz, Mamá!_ ”  Sam groans.  Isabella smacks his head, he yelps.  “Why?!”

“ _¿Cuándo empezaste a gustar a esta chica Pidge?_ ”  She asks.  Sam groans and kept ignoring his mother.  “Don’t you ignore me!”

“You not gonna judge Keith wearing makeup in that picture?!”  He asks.

“WHAT?!”  Isabella turns back to Lance quicker than anything he’s ever seen.  Lance looks at his mother in shock.  He slowly held his phone up, she took the phone out of his hands and stared at it.  “Why is my baby wearing makeup like a girl?”  She asks.

“Uh… cause he changed into a dress?”  Lance said it like a question.  Isabella raised an eyebrow.  She wanted an explanation, well she didn’t believe her son at all so she wanted the truth.  Lance took his phone back and showed her the selfie they took.  She sat there looking at the picture in shock.

Lance closes his eyes and waits for Isabella to say something, anything.  When no words came out Lance opens his eyes.  Isabella was covering her mouth, looking like she was about to cry, or trying not to.

“M-Mamá?”  Lance wanted to know why she looked so sad.  Isabella fans her face as tears came down.  

“You-You two look.”  She takes a deep breath.  “ _Ustedes dos lucen tan hermosos. Mi bebé ha crecido._ ”

“That’s why you’re crying?”  Lance asks.  Isabella hugs him tightly, she was still crying.  Lance laughs and waits for his Mom to stop being a drama queen.  She points at the picture.

“Send me this!”

“Now?”

“Yes!  Please!”  Lance took the phone back and sends it to her.  Isabella ran upstairs to get her phone.  Lance looks at Sam.

“I’m gonna go see Allura at the cafe.”  Lance got up and walks out.  “Want me to bring you back anything?”

“Hmmm…. Green Lion Passion Flower.”  Sam said, Lance nods.

“Kay, see ya later.”

* * *

Keith was messing with the ipad he won and was messing with a drawing app he downloaded.  Shiro walks in and notices Keith coloring the drawing he made, he leaned against the doorway and waited for Keith to notice him.  Keith was way too focused in coloring.

“Keith?”  He got his brother’s attention.  He looks up at his brother, his hair a mess and still had makeup on.  “Oh my God go clean up.”  Shiro said.  Keith looked back at his drawing.  “No, don’t doodle go clean.”  He said.

“I’m not done.”

“No.”  Shiro took it, Keith made a pathetic noise as he lazily reached after his ipad.  “Clean up then you can color like a child.”  Keith pouts but he got up and walked out of his room.  He ran back and tried taking the ipad back, Shiro held it above his head.  Keith whines and gave up.  He walked to the bathroom and started the shower up.

Shiro looks at the drawing he was working on, he zooms out and saw a drawing of Coran and Allura making coffee.  It was a little cartoony but it looked good.  Shiro took a picture and sends it to Allura telling her Keith drew it.  Keith came out moments later with a towel around his waist.  

“Did you draw thi-... Keith go get clothes on.”

“I live here, I can be naked if I want to.”  Keith said.  “Can I have my tablet back?”  

“Um… okay?”  Shiro shook his head.  “Keith did you draw this?”

“No it was magically there.”  Keith said sarcastically.  “Yes I drew that.”  He took the tablet back and walked back into his room.

“While you’re in there can you put some pants on?”

“Make me.”

* * *

Lance walks in and Allura was looking at her phone happily.  She looks at Lance and held up her phone.

“Lance did you know Keith was an artist?”  She asks.

“Hi Allura it’s nice to see you too.”  Lance mocks her for not saying hi.  “Also what?”  Lance runs over and sees what she was talking about.  He looks at her phone with a nice drawing on it.  “Keith drew that?”

“Apparently.”  She said.  Lance quickly calls Keith.

“Hi.”  He says in a bored tone.

“Hey, so Shiro sent Allura a drawing-”

“SHIRO YOU DID NOT!”

“I DID, AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PUT PANTS ON!”  Lance and Allura both gave each other a bored look.

“Um… _Cariño_?  What the hell is Shiro talking about?”  He asks.

“I’m not wearing anything.  I have a towel and that’s it.”  Keith said with a straight voice, like somehow it’s not embarrassing to be talking on the phone naked.

“Keith put something on.”  Allura said.

“You can’t tell me what to do.”  Keith said.  “Anyways yes I drew that.  It’s shitty and not done but I drew it.”

“Can I see it when it’s done?”  Lance asks.  He heard Keith shift a bit.

“Maybe.  If it turns out good.”  Keith said in a shy voice.

“I wanna see it.”  Lance said.  “So you’d better show me.”

“And me.”

“I wanna see too!”  Coran joins in.  Keith groans.

“Sure whatever.”  Keith says.  “I’m gonna go now, see you guys tonight.”

“Alright later.”  Lance says.

“Remember to wear clothes before work.”  Allura teases.  They heard a click, the three laugh.  “Well I’ve worked up an appetite, what about you guys?”

“Allura you’ve already ate like five minutes ago.”  Coran said.

“And I’m hungry so… give.”  Allura took a donut and smiles sweetly.  Coran gave her a disapproving look.

“You keep eating like that and you’ll gain weight.”

“Will not.”  Allura smiles as she walked back to the counter.  “So what’s new with you Lance, I’ve heard you won a little guitar.”

“It’s not a little guitar.”  Lance said.  Allura laughs and took another donut.  Lance raised an eyebrow.  “I’m with Coran Allura, you shouldn’t be eating so much.”

“You guys aren’t my parents.”  She groans.  “Come on I’m a grown woman, I know when I’ve had enough.”

“Grown woman?  Allura you turned twenty not too long ago.  You’re not even legal drinking age.”

“Shut up, I’m a grown up.”  She sassed.  Lance rolls his eyes and plays on his phone while she thought she won the argument.  Lance valued his life so he wouldn’t argue with her.

The whole day was really slow, it was Sunday so most people weren’t in that area of town, those who were were just sitting around on their computers doing random things.  Allura was relaxing with a coffee, she forgot to bring something to do, while Lance and Coran started talking about their home countries, turns out Coran’s from England and moved here to start a company with Alfor.

“In England we had the most beautiful winters, all our parks were frosted over like Santa Claus had rushed through giving it a beautiful glow.  My wife and I would walk through those parks every year.”  Coran gushed.

“In Cuba we didn’t get snow.  But we got to swim whenever we wanted!  Also we collected...um shells?  Did I say that right?”

“Yes.”

“Awesome!  So we collected shells and found a ton of _cangrejos_ .  We’d chase them off the beach.  One time Antonio found a big _cangrejo_ and wanted it as a pet.  The look on mi Mamá an hour to find it and throw it back outside!  Oh God Rebecca, Papa and I were laughing.”  Lance said, Coran raised an eyebrow.

“You don’t talk about your Father much, what was he like?”  He asked, Lance froze.  He leans on the counter and messed with whatever was on it.  He didn’t speak up for a painfully long time.  “Lance?”  He asked, Lance continued to not say anything.

“Allura is Lance’s Father a bad topic?”  He asks through the window.  Allura slams her coffee down and glares at Coran.

“That man was horrible and we shall never talk about him again!”  She shouts, Coran steps back… okay it was a bad topic.

“S-Sorry… I didn’t know.  I’ve never met someone who hated their father before.”  He said to Lance.  Lance began to whimper, trying to hold back tears.

“He hated me…”  Lance said quietly.  Coran rubs Lance’s back, that was just as surprising.  He’s never heard of family hating one another.  Besides Allura hating Lotor, but that was different.  Allura spoke up.

“That horrid man abused his family, tried stealing from his deceased daughter, and even tried hurting Keith.  We’re glad Lance filled out a restraining order.”  She spat.  Lance covered his face, he didn’t want to remember that.

Keith walked in with his ipad, he hands it to Allura so she could see what he drew and walked into the kitchen.  He saw Lance hiding in his hands.

“Oh God, what happened?”  He quickly got to Lance and brought his hands away from his face.  Lance looks at Keith with pathetic eyes.

“If I may.”  Coran steps in.  “This is my fault… I mentioned his father and he started acting like this… well he mentioned a story with his father and I-”

“Why are you remembering that bastard all of a sudden?”  Keith asks, Lance shrugs.

“I was talking about the time Antonio caught a _cangrejo_.”

“A crab?”

“Ew no.”  Lance made a face of disgust.  “Those things on the beach with pincers and stuff… not lice.”

“Li… No Lance, crabs are also those things on the beach.  Wasn’t talking about pubic lice.”  Keith grumbles.  Lance was so confused it was hurting his head, he growls.

“Why is English so weird?!   _¿Cómo diablos viven con este lenguaje confuso?_ ”  He asks.  Keith covered his mouth to keep him quiet.

“We’ve grown up with it Lance, that’s why it’s easy for us.”  Keith explained.

“To be fair I still get confused with the word “fries”.  Where I’m from we called them chips.”  Coran said, Keith looks over at Coran while Lance was still getting his mouth covered.  Cuban boy was not happy with that.

“I still annoy people with Texan drawl.”  Keith said.  “One time Shiro was fixing something… I think it was our car, and he made it worse.  So I said “you done messed up Shiro” and Allu-”

“NEVER SAY THAT AGAIN!”  Allura shouts.

“Like that.”  Keith smiles.  “I can’t say y’all either.”

“YOU ALL, KEITH!”  She shouts again.  “PROPER ENGLISH LEARN IT!”

“I have the highest score in literacy thank you very much!”  Keith says back.  Allura threw a spoon back there, it hit Lance instead.  He backs away and yelps in pain, grabbing his head where she hit him.  “You done messed up.”  Keith teases.  Allura ran back there trying to catch him.  Keith squeals and runs out in fear.  Coran tried helping Lance with his sore head.

At least they dropped the “father” topic.

* * *

“Pepsi spelled backwards and upsidedown is “isded”.”  Lance said, Keith looked at his boyfriend like he was a nutjob.  The two had to take a day off cause Allura got sick of the southern drawl, also she stole Keith’s ipad.  So now the two were sitting outside a grocery store near some vending machines, they bought Pepsi and it’s what lead to this odd topic.

“Okay?”

“So that’s what my family calls it.”  Lance said happily.  “We also call Coke “The Red Devil”.  We usually have Pepsi cause it’s cheaper.”

“Um… nice story Babe.”  Keith said.  “So what now?”

“Dunno, wanna play mini go-”

“Suggest that and I will seriously break up with you.”  Keith said.  Lance giggles like a child and cuddles close to him.

“I love you Sweetie~”  Lance said.  Keith just stares at him but let him be a cuddly mess, Keith wasn’t going to admit that he liked it too.

“I want my ipad back.”  He mumbles.  “Can’t believe Allura took it cause she was bored.”

“If it’ll distract her from eating than let her have it.”  Lance said, Keith looks at her.

“You’ve noticed it too?”

“Um she grabbed a donut as she was eating another one.  I’ve noticed.”  Lance said.  Keith messes with his empty can.

“I think she’s stressed about something.”  Keith said.  “I don’t know but maybe the cafe hasn’t been doing well so she’s stress eating.”  Keith looks up.  “At least that what I think it is.”  Lance nods and drinks the rest of his soda.

“I remember Mamá eating a lot when she was going through the divorce.  We lived off of ramen for almost a month.  I hate that shit now.”  Lance laughs, Keith chuckles with him.

“No, I don’t want to live off of ramen.”  Keith whines.

“Meh whatever it is you’ll eat ramen for a month.”

“I’m going to go to your house and eat there.”  Keith said.  Lance nods.

“You know if you go and talk to Mamá, telling her you have no food… she’ll give you all our leftovers.  You and Shiro would dine like kings.”  Lance said, then he laughed.  “Then Allura will find your leftovers and eat those.”  Keith laughs with him.

“Fuck we’ll never win!”  The two laughed.  They both got up, Lance threw his can in the recycling and didn’t make it.

“God dammit.”  He laughs as he walks over and put it in.  Keith threw it and made it.  “Fuck you.”  Lance said.  Keith chuckles.  Lance runs over and holds onto Keith’s arm and they walked off.  “By the way I need to go back to the cafe.”

“Really?  What did you forget this time?”  Keith sounded annoyed.

* * *

They walked in while Isabella was instructing Sarah to grab sour cream from the fridge.  Sam was annoyed at the game he was playing, it was still Zelda.  He paused to let out his frustrations in sighs.  He looks over at the two.

“Yo you two, what’s up?”  He asks.  Lance held up Sam’s tea and hands it to him.  “Ooh thanks.”  He smiles and took a small sip.

“When did you like tea?”  Keith asks, Sam smiles.

“Since my heart was a fucking mess and I had to stay calm and all that shit.  Tea is a great way to stay calm.”  He took another sip and leans back in his wheelchair.  Keith sat next to him on the couch while Lance walked into the kitchen.

“What’s for supper?”

“Fried chicken.”  Sarah said, Keith heard that and fell out off the couch and ran in.

“Can I have some?!”  He asks while running into Lance, poor boy almost fell over.  Isabella laughs and nods.

“Of course Sweetie.”  She said.  Keith becomes giddy and nods like a child.  Isabella laughs and pats Keith’s head.  He goes back to hang out with Sam while Lance helped his mom and Sarah with cooking.

Keith was asking questions while Sam was playing and getting annoyed, soon enough Sam was raging cause Zelda’s hard and Keith’s annoying.  The older boy giggles and kept watching.  Rico watches Sam and joins Keith in his game of annoying Sam.  Both giggle when he snaps at them.

Isabella calls her kids in, they file in and grabbed a plate.  They got what they wanted and went back into the livingroom.  Sam looks at Keith’s proportions and was shocked.

“Jesus!   _Hermano_ , how much can you eat?”  He asks.  Lance chuckles while Keith looks down, almost ashamed.

“He has a big appetite.”  Lance said.  “When we went out to eat at McDonald’s, he ate a quarter pounder and half of my chicken nuggets.”

“Dude, not fair!”  Sam said.  “You eat so much and keep that awesome physique.  God’s cruel.”  He pouts, Lance laughs at him.

“It’s just the way things are.”  Lance said, Keith shoveled food in his mouth while the brothers were talking.  Lance slowly looks at Keith and raised an eyebrow, Keith stops and looks at Lance.  “Don’t you know how to savor your food?”

“Ahm am shabor wen wit.”  Keith said, mouth full of mashed potatoes.  Lance covered his mouth trying not to laughed at Keith trying to speak with a full mouth.  Keith swallows what’s in his mouth and takes a huge bite of fried chicken.  Mouth full again.  The two kids watch him and try to copy, Sarah ends up choking while Rico had his cheeks full of food like a chipmunk.

“How do you eat like that?!”  Sarah asks.  Keith shrugs and went back to shoveling food in his mouth.  Lance looks at Sarah.

“It’s because Keith’s a guy.”  He said.

“If that’s the case then are you a woman Lance?”  She asks in a deadpan voice.  Sam and Keith both broke out laughing, Isabella chuckles.  Lance gave everyone an unamused face.

Isabella walks over to Keith with four tupperware containers full of food and hands it to him.  Keith smiles and takes it without a second thought.

“Thank you!”

“Of course _mi bebé_.”  She kisses his head.  Keith felt spoiled, he liked it.

* * *

“Shiro?”  Keith walks in holding all the containers and his car keys.  Shiro saw what Keith was holding.

“What is this?”  He takes the containers and opens it up.  “Oh my God chicken!”

“Lance’s Mom made it.  She let us have it since Allura’s eating everything in the house.”  Keith put his keys up and walked into the livingroom.  Shiro put the food in the fridge and sat with Keith in the livingroom, Black hops on his owners lap.

“What’s Lance’s mom’s name again?”  Shiro asks.

“Isabella.”

“Oh, remind me to thank her for the chicken.”  He said while petting Black.  “You want chicken too buddy?”  He cooes at his cat, Black looks at him and made a cute little meow.  Keith rolls his eyes.

“Cat ain’t getting any.”

“But he’d love it.”

“Y’ain’t giving him chicken.”  Keith said, Shiro laughs.

“Y’all are cruel.”

“Quit making fun of me.”  Keith hissed.  Allura walks in and smiles at them.

“Hello boys.”  She said as she walked to the fridge.  She opens it up and took out a chicken leg.  She heats it up and smiles at them.

Keith and Shiro shout.

“NO DON’T EAT THAT TOO!”

“This is good…”  She comments.  “Who made this?”

“Isabella?”  Keith said like a question.  Allura smiles as she ate it.  She sat down and took huge bites, giving a piece to Black.  The cat sniffs it before picking it up and eating it.  She smiles at the kitty and continued to eat.

“Why are you eating our food too?”  Shiro asks.  Allura stuck her tongue out and finished eating.  Keith walks into his room.

“I’m going to go to bed.”

“Night.”

“Night.”

* * *

Keith shot up wide awake that night.  Black was on his neck glaring at him for ruining his comfort.  He didn’t have a terror but he had a weird dream.  He grabs his phone and calls Pidge.

“It is midnight, why are you calling me?”  She sounded so annoyed.  Keith spoke up.

“I had a weird dream.”

“Was it a giant crab chasing you on a beach?”

“Wha-no…”  Keith looks at his phone with a questioning look.  “Something else.”

“Okay, what happened?”  Pidge asks with little interest.  Keith took a deep breath and spoke up.

“Okay okay so I was an employee at a park.  I don’t know what I did exactly… I just worked there.  You and Lance were there too, but you two just hung around.  So anyways I was friends with a married couple and the two had a kid, the kid liked me so I was friends with her, more like a babysitter.  She oddly looked like Sarah but with curly hair…  Well I was playing dress up with her.  She was Zelda I think and I was suppose to be Link but I forgot to dress up.”

“Keith this sounds like a pretty normal dre-”

“Then the bird war started!”  Pidge went quiet after that.  “They attacked the park and used their shit as ammo and they could speak.  Calling out commands and coordinates to attack the humans.  I got hit and was starting to suffocate, so the girl that looked like Sarah takes me into a picnic house near a vending machine that sold Pepsi.  It costs a quarter, but anyways she bought a Pepsi mist and I spat it out cause it tasted like diet Pepsi.”

“She said “Whoops Pepsi mist, sorry” and put another quarter in and got me regular Pepsi.  I choked on it but I got up, I was still suffocating.  Anyways the married couple, girl, and I teamed up with one giant bouncing bird head who could speak and we went into a building where the commander bird was.  That’s when I woke up.  I realized the suffocating feeling was Black laying on my neck.”  Pidge was still silent.  “Pidge?  You still there?”

Still nothing.  She just sat there trying to process what she had just been told.

“Um… I’m going back to bed Keith.”  She said.  “Goodnight.”

“Yeah… yeah night.”  He hung up and laid back down, hopefully he won’t have the same dream again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another fun fact~ Keith's dream was an actual dream I had recently. I told my little sister about it and she told me to put it in. And yes my cat was suffocating me.


	53. I Love You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy chapter, you know what that means~

Lance started his routine when Pidge came in like usual.  She looked so paranoid, like she’s seen some shit.

“Woah, how much coffee did you drink?”  He asks while picking her up.

“I didn’t drink coffee.”  She said.  “It was so weird…”

“Morning everyone~”  Hunk said happily, Keith right behind him.

“Good morning you two.”

“You…”  Pidge points at Keith.  “You had to share that fucking dream!  You had to!”  A smile creeps on his face.  He started to chuckle.  “How does someone think of that?!  What is up with your already fucked up mind?!”

He didn’t say anything, he kept laughing.  Pidge cuddles into Lance as he shut his locker.

“So how’s everyone else?”

“Pretty good, finally got on my Mom’s good side.”  He said.  Keith gave Hunk a look.

“Can I ask how someone as kind and sweet as you came from that horrible witch?”  He asks.

“Come on you guys, my Mom isn’t a witch, she’s strict.”  Hunk thought about it.  “Though my Dad says the same thing sometimes.”

“Does she know you have a girlfriend?”  Pidge teases, Hunk shushes her.

“No, I don’t want her to ask a billion questions about Shay.”

* * *

Literacy class had to work on their final project.  Mrs. Boston smiles at Lance and told him it.

“The thing I wanted you Seniors to work on was this.”  She hands it to him.  He read the question, she printed his in Spanish.  Lance smiles at her.

“ _¿Qué es lo más feliz de la memoria?_ ”  He looks up at his teacher.  “Do I have to write it in English?”

“Yes, I told the Spanish teacher to translate that for you.  Be grateful.”

“Oh our last project and you now thought of this?”  He teases, she threw a pen at him.  He chuckles.  Keith walks in and sat next to Lance.

“What’s that?”  He asks.

“Our final project.  It’s… what is your happy- memory?”  He tried to say it in English.  “Happiest is a word right?  I swear I used it before.”  Lance thought about it while Keith sat there almost speechless.

Happiest memory?!  Well Keith’s gonna fail.

“Fuck it, happiest is a word.”  Lance said, Keith broke out of his thoughts and stared at his boyfriend who was thinking.  “What is my happiest memory?  Maybe moving here?  No… Cuba… I remember it but it’s blurred together.”  Lance kept thinking.  Keith stares at his paper trying to recall happy memories.

Well he remembers the farm… where his parents died.  He was adopted… then the car crash.  Shiro meeting Allura … in a hospital.  Keith groans.  Who was he kidding, everything happy in his life was reminding him that his life sucks.

He felt a hand rub his back, he looks up.  Lance was comforting him while still looking at his paper thinking.

“You got any ideas Lance?”

“I have a few but I can’t recall the happiest.”  Lance said.  “What about you?”

“I think you got your answer.”  Keith leans on Lance’s shoulder and just let his mind wonder.  “Do I have to write this?”

“Mrs. Boston do we have to write this?”  Lance asks the teacher.

“No, but if you want to graduate then yes.”  That made Keith groan even louder.  This is total bullshit.

The two walked out together, Keith was staring at his rough draft, which was a blank piece of paper, wondering what to write.  Meanwhile Lance had a few things down.

“Maybe you should write about meeting your adoptive parents, you were happy when you met them right?”  Lance asks.

“They died.”

“Well it’s a happiest memory Keith.  One of my happiest memories was hanging out with that horrid man.  I hate him with a burning passion after what he did to Mamá, but I remember him when he did act like mi Papa.”  He said.  Keith nods, he understands the damn assignment but he doesn’t want to bring up happy memories cause then he’ll feel sad and miss them.

“I just… don’t want to … I don’t want to write about them.  I don’t have the right to.”  Keith said quietly.

“Why not?  They’re your family, and I think they’d love that.  Writing about them.”  Lance was trying to sound positive.

“After what I did to them?”  Keith sighs.  “I have no right at all.”

“Keith come on.  You cannot keep blaming yourself for what happened.”  Lance said, Keith shook his head.  He didn’t care what Lance thought, it was still his fault.  “Come here.”  He pulls Keith to the side and hugs him.

They didn’t really say anything but no words were needed.  Keith buries his face in Lance’s shoulder and sighs.  Sam rolls out and up to them.

“What are you two doing?”  He asks.  Lance looks over at his brother with a face that said “what does it look like?” which got Sam to laugh.

“You two wanna ride down the elevator with me?”  He asks holding up the key.  Lance and Keith look at each other then back at Sam.

“Sure, come on.”  He pulls Keith by his arm and the three got into the elevator.  Lance felt the whole thing shake.  “Well this is safe.”

“I said that the first day I came on, you get use to it.”

“Hey Sam.”  Keith got the boys attention.  “What would you say is your happiest memory?”

“The times when I could walk.”

“Okay I shouldn’t have asked.”  Keith went back to looking at his paper.

“Homework?”  Sam asks.

“Final.”

“Oh.”  They reached the final floor.  “Well you go with your merry friends, I’ve got to find mine.”

“Yeah, how are you new friends?”  Lance asks.

“Awesome, they’re a bunch of dorks like me.  I don’t have to act any different.”  He says with a smile.  Keith rubs his head.

“How did I, the one who never had friends, know that and you didn’t?”  Keith teased.

“Uh you’re older and you befriended Lance first.”  Sam points out.  The two older boys laugh.  “I’ll see you two at home.”

“Yeah see ya.”  They wave him off and sat with their group.  Pidge had a bag of M&Ms and refused to share.  Lance held his mouth open, she can’t say no to that.  She started throwing them, and he caught them.

Keith picked at his salad and laughed at the two.

“Do you guys have to do that?”  He asks.  The two stuck their tongues out.  Hunk chuckles.

“It’s almost the end of the year, you gonna stop them now?”

“Guess not.”  He said.  He caught an M&M before Lance could catch it.  Lance gasps, he pushed a chuckling Keith.

“Jerk.”  Lance laughs.  Keith pops it in his mouth.  Pidge looks at her friends and sighs.

“Yeah, it’s almost over.”  She messes with her left earring.  “You guys got your graduation party planned?”

“Yeah kind of.”  Hunk said.

“What about you two?”

“I don’t have anything planned.”

“I barely know anyone.”

“You two are so lame.”  Pidge teases.  “Y’all better invite me.”  She said.

“Y’aint invited.”  Keith comments back.  Lance smacks both of them.

“None of that!  None of that!”

“No one likes you.”  Keith lightly hits him back.

“But I love you!”  Lance hugs him, Keith had a smirk on his face and looks away.

“Oh so do I, my little cornchip.”

“You are never going to stop with that are you…”

“What do you think?”  The two slapped each other while the other two let the couple have their petty slap fight.  Pidge fixed her glasses, signaling that she was thinking about something, or she realized something.  Hunk decided not to ask.

* * *

“Have you ever told Lance you loved him?”  Pidge asks while waiting for gym to start.  Keith stared at her with a blank expression.  “Like not in a joking manner, like legit told him.”  His blank expression turned into one of concern.

“No…”

“Are you kidding me?!”

“H-He knows I do right?  I don’t have to say it to his face right RIGHT?!”

“Um if you have a crush on someone it’s fine to not say it.  But you two are dating, DATING!”  She shouts.  “As in it’s required unless you want to break up!  But knowing you, that’s the last thing you want!”

“So what do I do?”  Keith asks.

“Say you love him, it’s not rocket science Keith!”  Pidge was annoyed.  “See this is why I second guess relationships.  Confusing, they’re very confusing.  Unlike computers.”  Keith gave her a bored look and looked back at Lance and Hunk who were messing with a volleyball.

Keith stares at Lance, the one person who brought him back from the darkest parts of his mind.  He was lucky to have him and loved him a lot, how the hell can he say it without embarrassing himself?  He leans against the wall with Pidge, both watched their friends mess around.

Lance and Hunk kept hitting it till it got stuck in the rafters on the ceiling.  Both of them stared at it till Coach came out.  The older man groans and walked back into his office to find another activity cause those two fucked it up.  He was ready for this year to be over.

* * *

Keith was leaning against the counter at home trying to think.  Shiro walks in and looks at him.

“Didn’t go over to Lance’s?”

“I did for a bit, but I left early so I could finish this.”  Keith states as he kept staring at his blank piece of paper.  Shiro puts his bag down and leans on the other side staring at his brother.

“Paper for literacy?”  He asks, Keith nods.  “You usually finish those in a day in class.  What’s up?”  He asks.

“It’s our happiest memory.”  Keith said.  “I can’t think of a happy memory.  So I’m sitting here trying to think of one.”

“Well I can name mine.”  Shiro said.

“What?”

“You joining my family.”  He said with a smile.  “Ever since you became my brother a lot of good things have happened.”

“A lot of bad has happened too.”

“That’s life Keith, happy memories and sad ones.  But we’ve always gotten through, and look at you now.  You’re a Senior, you’re graduating, you’ve got great friends, a boyfriend who adores you, and you’ve got an annoying brother who has to remind you of all the good things you have.”  He pulls Keith in for a nuggie.  Keith laughs while he fights for freedom.

Shiro let’s go and walks towards the fridge.  Keith thought about this year, it was good.  Very good.  His eyes lit up, he got it.  Call it a light bulb moment.  He quickly starts writing his paper then Shiro groans in misery.

“What?”

“Allura took all the leftovers Isabella gave us.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me!”  They both were upset.  Shiro looks at Keith.

“Wanna go get Arby’s?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

* * *

“So you don’t have a plan?”  Lance asks Isabella as he was holding up a cookie so Allura couldn’t get it.  They made about two dozen cookies and Allura has eaten three, Lance wasn’t even looking at her as he held it up.

“I’m sorry Lance but no I don’t.”  She said.  “I’ve never planned a graduation party before.  You’re the first kid who didn’t quit.”

“Mamá my friends really want to know if I’m having one.”  Lance said.  “I could help plan it if you’d wa- are you done?”  He asks Allura as she reaches on her toes.  She whines and leans against Lance pathetically.

“No I can plan it, I’ll ask Allura how to plan one.”

“She’s right here next to me, you can ask now.”  Lance hands Allura his cell.

“Ms. McClain, your son is being a bully.  What did he do?  Steal my cookie, that’s what.”

“You ate the rest of mi Mamá’s leftovers and then gorged yourself with cookies.  You need to stop stress eating.”

“You stealing my food is stressing me out even more!”  She snaps.  Lance rolls his eyes and ate the cookie.  “ASSHOLE!”

“Bite me.”

“Hm?”  Allura’s attention was back on Isabella.  “Of course I’ve had one.  How do you plan one?  Well I’m planning Keith’s and we don’t know what we’re doing for hiss so I’ll give you pointers when Shiro and I have a plan.  Okay, yes bye.”  She hangs up.  “Now then, I’m getting another-”

“Nooooooooo!”

* * *

“Done!”  Keith shouts in the Arby’s.  He drops his pencil and sighs.  Shiro claps for him.

“Good job, now finish eating.”  He said.  Keith nods and continues to eat.  His phone goes off seconds later, he swallows and answers.

“Yeah?”

“Keith?  Allura is- knock it off it’s for your own good!”  Keith heard Allura shout ‘I will fight you, scrawny boy.’ which made Keith chuckle.  “Damn, where are you anyways?!”

“At Arby’s with Shiro.”

“Finish eating your meat filled sandwich and help me with your crazy sister!”  He heard Lance’s phone being taken.

“ARE YOU GOING OUT WITHOUT ME!”

“What you get for eating our leftovers.”  Keith deadpans and hangs up.  “Allura’s mad, you’re problem when we get home.”  He said.

“Damn.”

* * *

In class the next day the teacher announces that if they’d like then they could present in front of the class.  Everyone groans, even Lance.  It’s embarrassing to say a cheesy memory in front of the whole class.

Lance was writing his paper slowly, with an open dictionary in front of him.  Keith was cleaning up his final draft and looked at the dictionary.

“Do you really need that?”

“It’s Spanish to English.  You know I don’t know some words in English.”  Lance said, he took his note/bookmark to skim over the words in the dictionary one at a time.  Keith kept editing his final draft, then the note was placed next to his paper.  He looks at Lance with a questioning look.

“Problem?”  He asks.  Lance looks back at Keith’s paper then at the note.  A huge grin grew across his face.

“So you think I’m a sexy prince?”  He asks in a sly tone, Keith’s face blew up and he looked back at his paper, writing aggressively.  Lance laughs.  “I should’ve known it was you!  You were one of the few people who got a real good look at me that night!”

“Shut up!”  Keith growls.  Lance’s laughter died down and he nuzzled into Keith.

“I love you so much Keith.”  He said, Keith kept his face hidden behind his hair.

“Lance, leave room for Jesus.”  Mrs. Boston said out loud.  Lance started to laugh again, Keith groans and buries his face in his hands.

* * *

Lance sat next to Pidge after school waiting for Keith and Hunk to be done with changing out.  He leans on her and looks at her phone.

“How much longer till graduation?”

“Next week is our last full week of school.  Final day is Tuesday.”  She said.  “Can’t believe it’s almost over… I’m fifteen and graduating.  Going to college, soon enough I’ll be out on my own.”  She said, Lance nods.  Their friends came out and the four walked out.

“We should go out and do something.”  Hunk said.

“No I have to go home and finish my finals.”  Pidge said.

“All in favor of Pidge’s favorite place say aye!”  Lance shouts.

“Aye.”  Hunk and Keith shout happily.

“Nay, NAY!”  Pidge shouts.  The boys laugh at her and run to Keith’s car.  “YOU ALL SUCK!”

* * *

Pidge and Keith had a jam fight, launching jam packs at one another.  Lance and Hunk were looking through the menu trying to figure out what they want.

“What are you getting _Cariño_?”  Lance asks, Keith jumps.

“Oh um… I usually get this, the grand breakfast.”  He said as he points at the menu.  Pidge launched another jam at his head.  His expression went from curious to slightly annoyed.  Lance looks back at the menu.

“I’m getting the same thing I got last time.”  Lance put his menu down.  The lady got their drinks and hands it to them.  Keith and Pidge had a sword fight with their straws while the other two kept talking.

“So you’re all going to college?”

“Yeah, Lance I think you should go.”  Hunk said.  “What are you good at?”

“Nothing.”  Lance answered, he felt a straw hit his head.  Lance gave his boyfriend a look.

“You’re better at math then I am.”

“I’m horrible at english.  I also can’t focus to save my life.  What should I do?”  Lance took a sip of his drink and kept messing with his menu.  Everyone just stares at him.  He went back to his usual self.  “What are you guys going in?”

“Um… space.”  Pidge said.  “I’m going to study stars and all that, hopefully become an astronaut.”

“I’m going into flight.”  Keith said.  “You know this.”

“I’m going into engineering.”  Hunk said.  “That’s it.”

“Interesting.”  Lance nods.  He messed with his straw, listening to them with interest.  “Sounds like you guys got everything down.”

“Not really.”  Pidge said.  “Are you sure you’re not going in?”

“I wouldn’t do well.”  Lance said with a smile.  Before she could protest again their food arrived.  They continued to talk and eat.  "So did you get your paper done?"  He asks Keith.

"Yeah, you?"

"Uh huh, feeling real good about it.  Probably gonna get an A."

"Just watch, he's gonna fail and get an F."  Hunk teases.

"MEAN!"  Lance shouts, Hunk had his same shit eating grin.  "Lucky I love you Garrett."  Pidge shot a straw wrapper at Lance.  "What is this?  Pick on Lance day?!"

"No that's next week."  She says with a smirk.  Lance reaches over and flicks her head.  She laughs and continues to eat.  "By the way Lance, our history final is on Friday."  He groans at that news.  "Yeah I know, covering everything this year."

"I take it you're good at history?"  Keith teases.

" _No sé nada de historia americana._ "  He pouts.  Everyone laughs at him.  "Well can ya blame me?!  I barely know my own history let alone America!"

"1741 English tried taking Guantánamo Bay during the War of Jenkins' Ear."  Hunk said.  "Look at me I know Cuban history."

"Oh no one likes a show off Hunk."  Lance snaps.

"Says the show off."  Keith said quietly.  Lance again pouts.

"I take back my love for you, you are now single."

"Ouch..."  Everyone kept laughing.  Lance wouldn't admit it, but he was having fun.  Despite the teasing.

* * *

Monday came around faster than anyone could predict.  Lance walks with Keith holding their finals.

“So you gonna present it to the class?”  Keith asks.  Lance shook his head.

“No, mine’s embarrassing.”  He laughs.  Keith raised an eyebrow.

“Did I hear that right?  The Lance McClain turning down an opportunity to take the spotlight?  Who are you and what have you done to Lance?”

“Oh ha ha ha.  You’re funny.”  They walked in, Lance immediately handed it to Mrs. Boston.  The class got to just hang out for the day, unless someone wants to present.  Mrs. Boston checked a few papers before she spoke up.

“So does anyone wanna go?”  She asks, no one said anything.  “No one?  Come on, no one wants to share their story?”  A hand raises.  She looks over, she was shocked.

“Keith?”  Everyone turned their heads at that.  Even Lance looks at him shocked.  “You wanna go sweetie?”  He nods.  Keith picks his paper up and walks up to the front.  He took a deep breath and began awkwardly.

“Hi.”  He waves.  “You all know me one way or another.  Some of you know me as the guy who pummeled the quarterback for calling me Kim Jong Un junior year.  Others know me as the edgelord who sits in the back, the one people tell you to stay far away from.  And well the rest of you know me as Keith, the violent kid who will probably punch you if you breath in my general direction.”  That got the class to chuckle a bit.

“But… you don’t know Keith Kogane, you don’t know me.”  He said, the class died down in silence.  “My life has been rough, and I mean rough.  Some kids may say that that their lives suck because they didn’t get an iphone or their family drives them nuts.  Well I lost both my Eomma and Appa before I turned eleven.”  The whole class was stunned by the info they were hearing.  This paper was about the happiest moment in their lives, what the fuck was Keith talking about?

“I was alone in a shitty orphanage outside of Texas where I grew up.  The orphanage hated me because I was too violent and rough, but that was because I couldn’t cope with the loss of my parents.  Like I couldn’t share a room with another child because I’d probably fight them.  So I was alone.”

“But then one day a man came over as a volunteer and actually took time to talk to me.  He didn’t back away, didn’t push me aside, none of that.  He made me feel like I was a kid worthy of attention.  He brought his son over to help out too, he was the same way.  His wife was playful and kind hearted, always thinking of others.”  Keith smiles.  “I was so proud to call them my family.”

“However… I-”  Keith took a deep breath.  Lance could hear the shaking in his voice, he was trying so hard not to cry.  “I lost them too.  My adoptive parents…”  Some kids gasped, this is dark man.  Others were still too stunned, then the ones who didn’t believe him.  Though Keith was not one to cry in front of others.

“It was a violent crash, it took my parents.  But my brother lived, he protected me by taking the hit for me on the road.  However he lost his right arm by doing that.”  Keith took a deep breath.  “From then on I assumed that I was at fault for all of that, all of the deaths in my life were my fault.”

“I pushed everyone away, I-I created a mask to hide behind.  No one could see behind it, no one could tell what I was truly like.  Because I feared that if I befriended someone, that if I started to care for another human being, they’d die.”  Keith said.  “That was me for the majority of my high school career.”

“But then this year, Senior year, came around.”  Keith started to smile.  “I thought it would’ve been like the past years, only difference is that I’d be leaving and heading off to college.  I didn’t expect an annoying new kid to bump into me on the first day, in this class no less.”  Everyone chuckled again.  “I did what I normally did, I pushed them away.  I tried to make him fear me, make him see why I was considered the most feared kid in school.”

“But that caused us to fight, this kid wasn’t one to back down.  So we got detention, and I’m happy that that happened.  Because if it wasn’t for that… I wouldn’t have opened up to him.”  A few aws filled the room.  “He tried talking to me and for some odd reason it worked, I didn’t want him to be my friend so I said we’d be “allies” so nothing bad would happen to him.”  Keith looks down.

“But I started growing too attached to him.  So I tried cutting it off, tried pushing him away.  But he refused, and I finally told him what I feared the most.  I was afraid of hurting him.”  Keith looked back up.  “But that didn’t keep him away, he still tried to talk to me, and all I did was push him away.  But he took me in one night when I ran away from home, we talked again and I asked him one question.  “Do you want to be my friend?”.  He responded with a hug and a promise.  A promise we would never leave each other, that we would be best friends.”

“I grew close to him, and his family.  His sister made me this.”  Keith held up the beaded bracelet with his name on it, again girls awed.  “He let me join his friend group, they grew to accept me, I finally had a place in this school.  A place I belonged.”  Keith wipes tears from his eyes.

“We grew closer still.  We’ve had happy moments that I will always cherish, sad ones that have lead to heartbreak, and ones that I will regret to remember in five years.”  Laughter filled the room.  “Even though we’ve had hard times, from deaths to broken promises, we’ve always been there for each other.”

“I have many happy memories with you.”  Keith looks up happily.  “From hanging out with our friends, to hiding from your father, to prom, to even working with you.  They all are happy memories cause I was with you.  But the happiest one for me was that day I opened up to you in the detention room.”  Keith smiled directly at Lance.

“You’ve made me happy from then on.  Thank you for everything, you never gave up on me, I’m glad you became my friend, and I’m lucky to call you mine.”  Keith said.  “You are my happiest memory Lance, I love you so much.”  The whole class looks over at Lance, who was currently hiding his face behind his hands.  One reason was to hide his embarrassment, the other because he knew he was about to cry.

Keith walks over to Lance and pulls his hands away from his face.  Lance looks up at Keith and smiles.  The two kissed briefly, the whole room claps and cheers for them.  Lance pushed him away.

“You’re making me cry, jerk.”  Lance chuckles, he got out of his desk and hugs Keith.  Well that class got quite the show, and that bold speech caused others to speak up and share.  The bell rang and people followed Lance out trying to talk to him saying what Keith did was the sweetest thing they’ve ever seen, and wish their partners were as sweet.

“Mr. Kogane.”  Mrs. Boston called Keith over before he could leave.  He walks up to her.  “One A+ on that paper and speech.”  She smirks, he blushed and looked down.  “I wanted you to have this.”  She hands him a paper.

“What’s this?”

“It’s Lance’s, you should read his.  It’s been graded so it’s fine, tell him he got an A for it.”  She smiles.  Before Keith walked out the door he heard her mumble something.  “You both are hopeless saps.”

* * *

_‘My happiest moment?  Where do I begin?  Well I could pick moving to America, or I could pick a favorite childhood memory.  When my baby siblings were born, I have a lot of happy memories.  But I’d say my happiest is when my family and I moved here._

_Sure not all of my moments here are good, in fact I have a lot of sad ones.  But you need that in life, sad moments that will bring in more happy ones.  Okay this is turning into a poem and I’m writing this with a pen like an idiot so I’ll move on._

_I was always someone who could click with people, however after I moved away from my Papa I was a little worried about making new friends thinking they’d hurt me or figure out I was scared and unsure of myself.  Like they’d see behind the smiley mask I’ve made for myself.  But these few I’ve met in this city were some of the best I could’ve asked for._

_The first friend I’ve met was Katie but I call her Pidge.  She introduced me to Hunk who is the most amazing person in the world and my best friend.  Shiro who seems scary when talking to him but after a bit you’d see he has the same sense of humor as an online meme, which is good cause that’s my humor.  Allura who is pretty much my big sister Rebecca in a slightly younger and stronger woman.  Coran who is like me, from another country, and understands what I’m still going through.  Then there’s Keith who I had so many problems with, but in the end they were all worth it just to have him in my life._

_My happiest memory is meeting them and doing all sorts of things with them, it makes me feel happy.  I’ve always wanted to feel loved and accepted and these few people have made me feel like that.  Whether it’s platonic like Pidge or Hunk, family-friends like Shiro, Allura, or Coran, or romantic like Keith.  They’ve made me grow to love this crazy city that I am glad to call home.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before anyone asks, no this is not the last chapter. The story will go on.


	54. Studying Gone Wrong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I found this out recently. I was looking up names for an upcoming chapter and I came across "Sarah" and Sarah's name literally means "Princess". I was laughing so hard, my baby's name means Princess! I thought I'd point that out. Well enjoy...

Keith held a toy up in the air watching Black bat at it.  He was beyond bored and had nothing to do that afternoon.  Allura closed up shop to talk to someone, Lance was taking Sarah to dance, Rico found his way to his house and was sleeping on the couch, Hunk was with his Mom, and Pidge was not answering her phone.  So play with the devil cat.

“What’s up kid?”  Shiro smacks Keith’s head.  He glares at Shiro.  “When did little McClain get here?”

“Beats me, he walked here by himself.  Didn’t even knock, I heard the doorknob shake a bit then he walks in.”

“Oh okay.”  Shiro brought in a bunch of bags indicating he went shopping, but for more than groceries. 

“What the hell did you buy?”

“I’m building a secret compartment so Allura will stop stealing all our food.”  He said as he held up some tools to help tear up their cupboards.  Keith raised an eyebrow.

“We aren’t living in the Great Depression Shiro.  We don’t need to hide food.”

“We are living in the Great Depression, except this time the cause of our misery is a hungry woman.”

“Eh, fair point.”  Keith shrugs.  “Need help?”

“Yes.”  The two started to tear at the back of the cupboard causing Rico to wake up and watch them.

“Sheo?  Kei Kei?  What you doin?”  He asks, Keith looks down.

“Oh hey Buddy, we’re tearing the back off here.”

“Why?”

“So Shiro and I have a place to hide food from Allura.”

“You hide stuff from Lula?  Why?”

“Cause she’s eating everything in the house.”  Shiro said.  “Keith you got that end loose?”

“Not yet.”  A chunk fell on the floor, Rico picks it up and looks at it.  “No no put that do-”  Rico flinched and held his hand up, a splinter.  “Dammit.  Shiro finish this, I’ve gotta get the splinter out of his finger.”  He took the wood piece from Rico and lead him to the bathroom.

He sat Rico on the counter and found tweezers.

“Okay this is gonna hurt alright?”  He held Rico’s hand.  “But it’ll feel better in a moment.  Like a pinch.”  Rico sat there trying to comprehend everything.

He uses the tweezers to grip the piece of wood and took it out, Rico squeaks in pain, he looks at Keith with tears in his eyes.

“Why you huwt me Kei Kei?”  He cries, Keith felt bad.  He hugs Rico trying to make him feel better.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to!  I won’t hurt you again!”

“You’re awful, making kids cry!”  Shiro mocks him from the other room.

“Shut up Takashi!”  Keith walks in and put Rico down on the couch.  “Don’t touch the wood okay?”

“Okay.”  Rico nods and plays with Black, the cat pounces on Rico and tackles him down playfully.  Rico giggles as Black nips and bats his face and neck.  Shiro and Keith stored pudding packs, juice pouches, twinkies, and chip bags.  Shiro added a sliding tool to the board so they could access it easily.  They put everything back and it looked like nothing was any different.  The brothers high five one another in success.

* * *

The next day at school Pidge and Lance studied history together with flashcards almost the entire day.  Beginning of each class they shared, lunch, and even after gym.  Keith and Hunk were annoyed and just hung out together.  The four hung out in the library after school.

“So you done with everything?”  Hunk asks while Lance and Pidge kept studying.

“No, I still have my math final.”  Keith said in a sour tone.  Hunk raised an eyebrow.

“So it’s not too good for you?”

“My worst subject.”  Keith says sadly.  Hunk was real confused.

“You hate math yet you’re going to be a pilot?”  He asks.  “How do you expect to be a good pilot?”

“Simple, be a prodigy.”  Keith said.

“It’s not that simple Keith…”  Hunk sighs.  “So you need help with studying?”

“Yes, the one who made a deal with me to help is currently studying history with Teenie Weenie over there.”  He heard Pidge hiss at him.

“Yeah and the math wizard working with him is also busy.”  Hunk laughs.  Pidge looks at them.

“Then you help him.”  Pidge said, Hunk looks at his friend.

“Why me?”

“Cause I’m studying with Lance, and he called me Teenie Weenie.”  She glares at Keith, he made a heart with his hands.  She growls and went back to studying.  Hunk looks at Keith.

“Okay I guess I can help you.”  Hunk said.  “But where can we practice?”

“If your Mom wasn’t a psycho then we could go to your place.”  Keith hissed.  Hunk sighs.

“I get it, you hate my Mom.”

“Oh that’s a nice way to put it.”  Keith said in a low voice.  “That woman made me forget those two.  I thought they were dating!”

“I recall…”

“So ‘hate’ is a kind word towards my feelings on your Mom.”  Keith bounces his pencil by the eraser on the table.  Lance and Pidge stare at the two, drama distracts from work.  

* * *

Keith and Hunk agreed with the park, works for them.  Hunk looked at the study guild like it was the easiest thing, how Keith wasn’t getting it he’ll never know.  Keith would work on a problem and would ask Hunk for help whenever he was stumped, they worked for over an hour.  Keith had a long study guild and had to ask for help a lot.

* * *

Lance and Pidge were sitting in his house in the kitchen still studying.  Flash cards flooded the table, Rico came and investigated.  At one point Pidge and Lance were distracted as they raided the fridge, Rico picked up all the cards and ran off with them.  He hid them under his bed and smiled.  He waits for one of them to react.

“RICO!”  He heard his brother shout.  Rico giggles, he hid in the closet and waited for Lance to run up.  Soon enough Lance storms in his room with Pidge right behind him.  He overheard their conversation.

“Can’t believe he stole the cards.”  He hissed, Pidge looks through the room with him.  “Not under the pillow…”  Pidge opens the closet.  Rico stares at her and giggles.

“Found Rico.”  She deadpans.  Lance walks over and raised an eyebrow at his baby brother.

“Where’s the cards Rico?”

“Wat cawds?”

“Rico.”  Lance insisted.  Rico shrugs again.  “ _ No tengo tiempo para esto. ¿Dónde están las cartas? _ ”

“ _ ¿Qué tiene cuatro patas y puede contener a mucha gente? _ ”  He said.  Lance groans as Rico kept giggling.

“I don’t have time for your riddles!  When did you start using riddles?!”  Lance asks.  That got another giggle from Rico.  Pidge looks at Lance.

“What did he say?”

“What has four legs and can hold a lot of people?”  Lance translated, Pidge thought.  She ran downstairs to the car.  Lance followed her.

“Where are you going?!”  As they ran out Rico took the cards and ran down to Sam who was on his phone texting his friends.  Rico pokes him, he looks at his brother.

“What is it bud?”

“Hide.”  He said.  Sam took the cards without a second thought and put them in his shirt.  He went back to his phone.  Rico went back upstairs to seem less suspicious.  Pidge ran in yelling at Lance.

“YOU DON’T HAVE A CAR!”

“NO WE DON’T!”  They ran back to Rico and he smiled at them.  “Alright Rico, is it near the bed?”

“ _ ¿Qué tiene seis patas pero sólo necesita dos? _ ”

“OH MY GOD YOU ARE THREE, HOW ARE YOU MAKING THIS SHIT UP?!”  Lance asks in frustration.  Rico giggles.

“I two.”

“Shut up!”  He snaps.  “Quick, what has six legs but needs two?”  He asks Pidge.  The two think while Rico sneaks off.  He took it from Sam’s shirt and hid it under Blue that Sarah was laying on while playing Zelda the best she could.

Meanwhile upstairs they kept thinking, then it hit Pidge.

“Sam.  It’s Sam!  Sam has them!”  The two ran down, Sam was still on his phone.  They body searched him, he showed little care.  Lance took off Sam’s shirt and saw only his heart monitor, Pidge squeaked and turned away quickly.  Lance glares at his brother and got in his face.

“Where is the cards?”

“Somewhere you’ll never find them.”  Sam said with a smirk, Lance glares at him and walked off.

“Come on Pi-Pidge…”  He tugs his embarrassed friend away.  Rico walks up to them with a smug look, he looked like Lance.  Sibling relations already showing.

“ _ ¿Qué gobierna la selva pero es suave como una almohada? _ ”  He asks happily.  Lance looked at Pidge.

“Okay okay, um…”  He snaps his fingers trying to say it in English.  “What rules the… the the the forest but is soft like a pillow.”

“A forest?”  Pidge gave him a look.

“A place with a lot of trees!”  Lance whines.  Pidge thought for a moment, while distracted Rico took the cards and put them back under his bed.  He ran down when Pidge figured out.

“Wait wait jungle.  You meant jungle!”

“Jungle?”  Lance asks.  “Wait… Lion!  Lion, my toy lion!”  Rico stops them.

“ _ ¿Qué tiene cuatro patas y puede contener a mucha gente? _ ”  He asks.  Lance groans, he was done with this game.  They thought a bit, finally it hit Lance.  He gave his brother a smile.

“Under your bed?”  He asks, Rico giggles and tries running upstairs.  Lance grabs his brother, Rico squeals as Lance picks him up.  Pidge runs upstairs and got the cards.

“Found them.”  She said, Lance cheers and walks towards her.  They studied together while Rico joins them.

* * *

Keith and Hunk were spinning on the merry-go-round while finishing whatever they were working on.  Hunk’s phone went off, he looks at his and sighs.

“It’s my Mom.”  He said, Keith groans.  He stops the merry-go-round and got up.  Keith looks at his friend, practically upset.

“You’re leaving?”

“Duh, my Mom wants me to come home now.”  Hunk said, Keith leans on the bars and looks at his friend.

“Please stay?”  He gave Hunk big eyes.  Hunk groans.

“Don’t give me that face!”

“Please?  Just a little longer?  I’m almost done with my study guild…”  Keith pouts.  Hunk could not look at Keith.

“I am not falling for it Keith, that look works on Lance but not me!”

“But Hunk…”  Keith started pitching his voice.  Hunk gave in.

“FINE FINE I’LL STAY!”  He shouts, Keith giggles and kicks his feet like a child.

“I win~”  He sings, Hunk spun the merry-go-round again and sat next to Keith.

“How does Lance put up with that?”

“He doesn’t.”  Keith said.  “If I want something from him all I have to do is look at him like this-”  He gave Hunk the usual look.  “And he gives in.”  He smiles.  Hunk shook his head.

“You are the worst.”

“I’m his princess.”  The two laughed, soon enough they finished.  Hunk smirks.

“Okay hold on.”  He said.  “And hold on tight.”

“Pfft, what are you gonna do?”  Keith asks.  Hunk spun the merry-go-round with all his might.  Keith squeals then laughed.  He tilts his head back and lets everything blur past him, Hunk was just happy someone liked going fast and didn’t scream.

After what felt like seconds of fun was interrupted by a car horn and an angry woman.

“HUNK!”  Hunk’s Mom sounded real upset.  Hunk stops the merry-go-round in fear.  He stares at her eyes wide, Keith could see him sweat.  “I wanted you home two hours ago!  Why are you-”  She noticed Keith, her look went from upset to pure rage.

“WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU?!”  She snaps.  “GET IN THE DAMN CAR!  AND YOU!”  She points at Keith, he flinched.  “STAY FAR FROM MY SON, I SEE YOU NEAR HIM I SWEAR I WILL CALL THE COPS ON YOU!”

“What?”  Keith was confused, he did nothing wrong.

“Listen to me.”  She got close and growls.  “I don’t care what you do, go rob from some gas station, beat up some helpless kid.  Whatever future criminals do, just stay far from my son.  Do I make myself clear?”  She hisses.  Keith didn’t say anything, but he was on the verge of tears, though he wasn’t going to cry in front of her.  He was stronger than that.

As soon as they were gone Keith ran to his car and cried.

* * *

Pidge was on the couch playing games with the younger two while Lance carried Sam upstairs to bed.

“Is she staying over?”

“I guess, she’s occupied.”  Lance rests Sam on a wall while he opens their door.  “Your turn for your crush to come over.”

“Shut up.”  Sam huffs.  Lance raised an eyebrow.

“Do you still like her?”

“Of course.”  Sam said, Lance smiles and thought of something.

“You wanna talk about it?”

“What?”

“Our crushes, Rebecca and I use to do that.”  He said happily.  Sam groans.

“Soooooo gay.”

“Hell yeah.”  Lance laughs, Sam got a chuckle from that.  Lance got his skin care supplies, he smears a clay mask on his face.  Sam looks at the clay.

“You got one for red splotches?”  He asks, Lance hands him the green one.  Sam puts it on and smiles.  “Okay so now what?”  Lance picks Sam out the window.  They sat on the roof, Sam smiles at the sight.  “I haven’t been out here for a while.”

“Tell me when you want to come out here, I’ll help you.”  Lance said.  “You may be in a wheelchair now but doesn’t change a thing.  You’re still Sam, my reckless brother who found this perch.”  Lance said, Sam smiles at his brother and nods.

“Thanks.”

“Soooo…”  Lance wiggles his eyebrows.  “Let’s talk about our love interests~”

“Lame.”  Sam lets out a breathy laugh.  “Okay so where do I start with Katie…”

“How about why.”

“Why?  Well I thought she was attractive, but I’ve gotten to talk to her and she’s out there.  Doesn’t care who she pisses off.”

“Sounds like her.”  Lance said, Sam laughs.  

“I guess I’m attracted to her aura, her personality.  She’s different from all the other girls I’ve met and been attracted to.”  Sam looks at the sky.  “I’ve always been told to like a girl who was a woman, someone who should be like Mamá… but you taught me that love is strange, and I kind of realized that no one is attracted to the same thing.”

“I taught you that?”  Lance asks, Sam nods.  That was oddly touching, Lance didn’t know that, well now he knows and it’s fucking sweet.

“So I guess when I saw Pidge I was attracted to her appearance, she was different but attractive.  And I’m still attracted, I guess I’m more into the loud and nerdy type.”  Sam smiles.  “Plus… she doesn’t really treat me differently.”  Sam messes with his monitor.  Lance smiles.

“You think you’ll ask her out?”

“I don’t want to ruin her life.”  Sam said.  “I feel like she deserves better than… this.”  Sam looks at the monitor sadly, Lance sighs.

“Dude, be selfish.  Also I think she likes you.”  Lance said.  Sam smirks.

“Really.”  He didn’t believe him.

“Yeah, really.  I think she’s crushing on you and you’re too stupid to notice.”  Lance points out, Sam laughs.

“Wow if that’s the case than we have something in common.  Remember you and Keith?”

“Shut your whore mouth!”  Lance pushes his brother.

“Okay enough for me, your turn.  Talk away.”  Sam made a grand gesture with his arm signaling Lance to start.  Lance thought.

“Right, so I fell in love with a violent bully who has PTSD.”  He said, Sam laughs.

“I got that much down.”

“I don’t know what to talk about, you know why I’m attracted to him.”

“I honestly don’t know.”  Sam confessed.  “I have no clue what you saw in that violent kid.”

“Seriously?”  Lance asks.  “Okay for starters he’s super hot, but he can be cute.  He acts like an alpha but can be an omega.  He’s my pure little mullet and I love him.”  Lance said, Sam make a gagging face.  Lance punched him hard.  “Pidge does that too!  Soulmates I swear!”

“Whatever.”  The two laughed and saw a car pull up, they look over and saw Keith walk out.  He stares at the two.

“Uh yeah totally safe for Sam.”

“Shut up, McClain’s do what we want!”  Lance shouts.  Keith raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah I’m not changing my last name to that now.”  He walked in and met them on the roof, mumbling about Pidge being over.  Lance pokes him.

“Are you saying we’re going with Kogane?”

“Yeah, cause then you lose that power.”  Keith pokes his nose.  Lance flinches, he noticed Keith’s face was a little tear-stained.

“You okay?  What happened?”  He asks, Sam looks over and noticed to.  Keith looks down and mumbles.

“Hunk’s mom snapped at me again.”

“Again?!”  Lance was beyond pissed.  “Oh I swear I will kill that lady.”  Lance said.  Keith leans against him and tried to stay calm, he noticed their faces.

“Okay touching moment and all but what is on your faces?”

“Clay masks.”

“Like actual clay?  Why do you put it on your faces?”  He asks.  He looks at both boys, they gave him an evil smirk.  “Oh no…” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm such a good person.


	55. 404 Not Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I was making a short Spirited Away Klance au cause I said I would do it. Check it out if you want.

Keith flinches as Lance puts clay on his face.  It smelled weird and was cold, also it felt like it was hardening on his face.

“Quit moving Sweetie.”  Lance said as he applied more on, Keith flinched again.  “It’ll crack.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“You don’t want it to crack.”  Lance kept applying it while everyone else, including Pidge, finished up on theirs.

“So this’ll help with my allergies and I’ll have flawless skin?”  Pidge asks while looking at her mask in a mirror.

“Supposed to, yeah.”  Sam said.  Pidge nods.

“Sick.”  That got a chuckle out of everyone else.

“Damn, we should have spa days with you more often Pi- God dammit, Sweetheart sit still!”

“It smells funny.”  Keith complains.

“Suck it up.”  Lance commands.  “Honestly you don’t even need this, Mr. Perfect Skin.  I swear you don’t even have facial hair.”

“It’s this fancy new thing called shaving.”  Keith teased, Lance smacks him.  Everyone laughs again.  Sarah looks over and spoke up.

“Princess’s can’t have facial hair.”

“Now I want to grow a beard or moustache.”  He teases Sarah, she giggles.

“No!  Gross hair for men!”

“I am a man.”

“Little boy.”  Lance quickly said.  Keith looks at him.

“See where my foot is and see how exposed your crotch is.  Choose your words wisely.”  Keith threatens, Lance squeaks and closed his legs quickly.  Sam looks at Keith.

“Uh I think Lance would like to have the ability to breed ya know.”  He comments.

“He’s with me, doesn’t need it.”  Keith points out.

“I’d like it if everything worked.”  Lance comments.  Everyone who understood that laughed, Sarah made an ick noise while Rico was confused.

“So what do we do now?”  Pidge asks.  Everyone thought.

“How about a game?”  Lance asks.  “Here I’m going to pull out some.”  He walks to a small closet and shuffled through.  “We have the one that ruins friendship, the game that never ends, ones for people who can draw, a horrid card game, ye olden game, and hippos.”

Keith grabs the hippo one and sets it up for Rico and Sarah, Pidge joins in.  Lance raises an eyebrow.

“Um, group decision?”

“When hippos are involved it rules over all.”  Keith said, Lance gave him a look.  “Hippos rule over all.”

“I suck at this game.”  Pidge said while Rico was beating her, Sarah was petting hers like it was a pet with feelings.  Lance kept talking to Keith.

“Look hippos are just animals… dangerous animals.”

“Deadliest killers in Africa.”

“They’re just hippos.  Not that big of a deal.”

“The larger something is the more important they are.”  Keith said.  “Hippos are proof of that.”

“Are hippos your favorite animal or something?”

“Damn straight!”  Keith said.  “I saw a documentary freshman science class and they were so cute but deadly!  I love them!”

“You… your favorite animal is hippo… you like hippos.”

“Yes.”  Keith nods.  “Hippos rule over all.”

“Can hippos fly?  Run?  No, they’re fat, slow, and grounded.”  Pidge said, Keith stuck his tongue out.

“Meh, still cute.”  They played another round and Keith kept winning, the other three decided to work against him.  They quit after that.  They looked at the other games Lance pulled out.  “Let’s see, Pictionary, Monopoly, Life, Chess, or Uno…”  Keith said to himself.

“We are not playing Monopoly or Life.  We can play Uno.”  Pidge told Lance, he nods and drew out the cards.  Sarah and Rico were a team while everyone else went solo.

It lasted one round before shit heated up.

“Okay so Keith, know that I love you…”  Lance put down a skip.  Keith just stares at it.

“... I’m breaking up with you.”  He said, Lance broke out laughing.  Pidge puts a reverse down, Keith skips him.  “Take that bitch.”

“You are salty.”  Lance said as he put a draw two down.  Sarah sighs.

“ _ Hijo de puta … _ ”  Lance gasps as she said that.

“Sarah!”  He couldn’t believe she cursed, even Sam looked at her in shock.  Sarah said nothing, she drew two and held them for Rico.  After a few more rounds Keith glares.

“Boy I love Uno.”  He looks directly at Lance then suddenly made a card fan.  “I _ really  _ do.”  Lance laughed again.

“I’m loving this.”  He put a draw four down, Sarah groans again.  “Yellow.”

“I HAVE NO YELLOWS!”  Keith snaps.

“Yeah, I have all of them.”  Lance showed his fan.  Pidge won and did a victory dance.  Keith threw his cards.

“Fuck Uno.”  He grumbles as Lance put the cards away.  Sam came in with a towel and rubs the mask off his face.  He walks up to Pidge and rubs hers off.  She makes an attractive noise then felt her face.

“Holy shit it’s soft!”

“Duh, your skin is thanking you.”  Sam said, he threw the towel at Lance.  “Here bro.”  Lance caught it and rubs his off.  He grabs Keith and rubs the mask off.  Keith felt and looked at Pidge.  She nods in agreement.

Sarah and Rico giggle as Lance rubs their masks off.  Pidge got up and sat back on the couch.

“Dudes is it okay if I spend the night?”  She asks.  Lance raises an eyebrow.

“Whatever, but don’t stay over too many times because then Mamá will adopt you.”  He warns.  

“I’ve stayed over a lot and I can confirm that it’s true.  I belong to Isabella.”  Keith said.  Pidge rolls her eyes.

“Whatever mah dude.”  She lays back and turns the TV on, Sam moves to the recliner and curls up.  Sarah and Rico sit on the floor and watch TV with Pidge.  Keith sighs.

“Well I guess I’ll leave.”

“Wait seriously?”  Lance whines.  “You can’t stay tonight?”

“Nah, you’ve got a gremlin staying over.”  He teases, Pidge smiles and did the Lance finger guns.  “Plus Shiro and I should go shopping for more snacks to hide.”

“I still can’t believe you’re hiding food from Allura.”  Lance said.  Keith shrugs with his innocent smile.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”  The two hug.

“Yeah okay.  Love you.”

“Love you too.”  Keith lets go and waves.  “Bye you guys.”  They all wave him out the door.

* * *

Shiro walks in with Keith, both carrying bags full of food and some snacks they’ll sneak in.  They noticed Allura standing there with a smug smile on her face, she held up a chip bag.  Both boys froze at the sight.

“You two… are so so stupid, but oh so cute.”  She said in a cocky tone.  They noticed all the empty boxes around her, she ate everything that was in there.

“H-How did you find that?!”  Shiro asks.

“Oh I smelled BBQ chips and had to find them.”  She said happily, Keith stood there with wide eyes.  He remembers lazily putting the chip bag away cause he was running late for school.

‘Fuck…’  He thought to himself as Shiro looked at the broken cupboard.  Allura was determined to get in there so instead of opening it she broke the damn thing.

“YES!”

“WHAT, YOU FOUND LEFTOVERS?!”  Keith asks Shiro with hope.  Shiro held up a bag victoriously.

“SALT AND VINEGAR CHIPS!”  He shouts happily.

“Ew no.”  Keith said.

“I may be hungry but I ain’t desperate.”  Allura comments.  Keith and Shiro walk out to get more supplies to hide their food.  “You two hurry back.”  She calls as she digs through the grocery bags.

* * *

“Cannot believe she ate all our food.”  Keith hissed.  “Have you noticed how much weights she’s gained?”

“I choose life Keith, I’m not going to tell my crazy strong girlfriend she’s gained a few pounds.”  His phone went off, Allura sent a text that said “I want pickles” with a sad emoji next to it.  Shiro texts back a no.

Keith’s phone went off, he answers, putting it on speaker.

“Why are you calling me?”

“Keeeeeith I want pickles!  You didn’t buy any…”  He heard a crunch over the speaker.

“What the hell are you eating Allura?”

“Ice…”  The two stayed silent.  “I was craving ice!  Don’t judge me.”

“Shiro and I don’t really like pickles.”

“You guuuuuys!  I really want pickles, also chocolate… chocolate covered pickles sound awesome.”  Both about threw up when she said that.

“Okay… you need help!”  Keith said.  

“Keeeeeeeith, Shiiiiiiiiro!  If you loved me you’ll buy me what I want!”  She kept whining.  “Spoil me, I’m weak and tired right now!”

“Well maybe you should sleep.”  Shiro said.

“Noooooooo!  I don’t need sleep I need pickles, and chocolate, and I want ice but it’s far away…”  Her whining wouldn’t stop.  “Pleeeeease buy me pickles!  Pleeeeeeeeea-”

“We’ll buy you anything, just stop whining!”  Keith begs.  She makes a victory noise and hung up.  Keith put his phone away and stares at Shiro.  He shrugs.

“I don’t know what’s up.”  They walked around and grabbed snacks as well as tools to make another box to hide food in.  They walked down a random aisle to find tools, Keith stopped and picked something up.  Shiro stops and looks at what he found.

“What are you holding?”  He asks, Keith messed with it for a bit.  “Oh it’s those stupid 

fidget cubes.”  He said.  Keith looks at Shiro then back at the distracting toy, he couldn’t stop messing with it, it’s like all his focus was on the stupid cube.  He smiles, one that was mischievous.

“I’m buying this.”

“Why?  You don’t need it.”

“I’m buying it.”  He walks off with it in his hands.  Shiro groans and followed his brother.

“You don’t need a fidget cube- NO YOU ARE NOT MAKING A BARB WIRE FENCE!  PUT THE BARB WIRE DOWN KEITH!”

* * *

Lance was doing his usual routine with Pidge on his back.  She was watching him do it like it was interesting.

“You’ve done this for an entire year yet I’ve never seen it fully.”

“What do you mean?”

“Like what you take out.”  She said.  “It’s like an art or skill.  You take out history as well as a journal and your physics book.  Then under those I see a free reading book and I never noticed the cute calendar in your locker.”

“I cross off the day when I’m done with gym.”  Lance said.  “I have a hard time staying organized so I make my own system.  It works for me.”  Lance took out a pencil from a paper pocket he taped on the inside of his locker, Pidge looks at it.

“Seriously has that always been there?”

“I made it on the third day cause I kept losing my pencils.”  Lance explained.  Pidge cuddles into his shoulder.

“You ready for that final?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”  He shuts it and carries her to class like usual.

* * *

Literacy came around and everyone watched a movie of their choice, they all chose Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  Keith gave Lance an evil grin and took his hand.  Before Lance could question what was going on Keith put something in his hand.

“I love you.”  He said as Lance took it, it was the fidget cube.  He stared at it with confusion, he noticed the side with the joystick and began to move it.  He looked around with curious eyes, found the lightswitch side and messed with that.  What really got his attention was the side with five little buttons, mainly because they made a click sound.

He noticed a wrist strap and put it on, then continued with the clicky buttons.  Then the spinner side, then he found the ball with the three rollers.  He kept going back and forth between the five distracting objects never getting bored of them.

Keith laughed at how cute it was.  Lance’s big curious eyes as he messed with everything for the fifth time, like something new was gonna happen.  Soon enough the whole classroom was filled with a movie and random clicking noises, Lance found his favorite side of the fidget cube.

The bell rang and the two walked out, Lance still messing with the cube, eyes glued to it.

* * *

“Why… why did you buy him that?!”  Pidge asks at the lunch table.  Keith shrugs as Lance kept messing with the cube, he hasn’t gotten sick of it yet.  “If I hear that clickity clack one more time I’m chucking it!”

“But he likes it.”  Keith said.  “Look at him.”

“Hm?”  Lance looks up at his friends.  “You guys say something?”

“Nothing.”  Keith said.  Hunk points at the cube.

“Do you like that thing or something?”

“It’s neat.”  Lance said as he messed with the joystick.  “There’s so much you can do with it-”  He found the buttons again and went silent as he messed with them.  Pidge screams.

“GIVE ME THE DAMN CUBE!”

“No!”  Lance backs off.

“Quit it with the clickity clack!”

“Fine.”  Lance pouts and messes with the joystick again.  Keith laughs.

“So anyways you guys have a plan for a party?”

“No.”  Hunk said.

“Totally having one.”  Pidge said.  “You two?”

“Dunno, I hope Allura doesn’t invite her family.  I love her Dad and all but her cousin can stay far from us.”

“Have you heard from Lotor recently?”  Pidge asks.

“No and I’d like to keep it that way.”  Keith admits.  “I have a feeling he hasn’t given up yet.”

“Well that’s what you get for dating a beauty like Lance- WILL YOU KNOCK IT OFF WITH THE BUTTONS?!”  Lance looks up at her with big eyes like he did nothing wrong.  He looked back down and messed with the buttons again.  Pidge screams.

“By the way how did your final go?”  Keith asked.

“Good, I think we nailed it.”  Pidge said as she tried to take the cube from Lance, he shrieks and slaps her hand away.  Hunk looks at Keith.

“I’m gonna miss sitting here with you guys.”

“Me too.”  Keith said.  “And who says this’ll be the last time?”  Keith looks at his bigger friend.  “We’re gonna be friends for the rest of our lives.  Soon we’ll be older and sit together, talking about this like it was only yesterday.”

Hunk smiles at the touching moment they were having while Pidge and Lance fought over the cube.

* * *

After school the two went to work and saw it was closed.  Lance and Keith just stood there confused.

“What the-?”

“Allura didn’t say anything about closing.”  Keith checked his phone.  Nothing from Allura.  Lance groans.

“Aw, and I was so looking forward to working at The Lion.”  He said.  “Now what do we do?”

“Hello boys~”  Coran made both of them jump.

“Coran?!  You scared me!”  Lance complained, he smiles at the young boy and pats his head.  Keith spoke up.

“Did you know Allura was closing?”

“Nope, I worked all day and then she was closing for the night.  Said she had something planned.  So I thought why not us three do something for the night!”  He said happily.  Both boys look at each other and nod.

“Sure.”  Lance said.

“Great!  Come come I know of some great places to hang out at.”

“Lead the way.”  Keith said, the three walk off.

* * *

“So we make a table to show accomplishments?”  Isabella asks.  Allura took a bite of her donut and nods.

“Yes, accomplishment table.  Slideshow to see them growing up, and also food and places to sit.”  Allura said.

“I can certainly handle food.”  Isabella said.  “And decorating, hmmm… I think I have an idea.”

“Listen Isabella-”  Allura starts.  “I’m happy that you want to help out with Keith’s party as well… but I feel quite lazy with only providing a place to hold it.”

“Hush dear.”  Isabella said.  “You are just fine, you need to find everything for Keith right?”  Allura nods.  “Right.  Also two of my babies are graduating so as their Mamá I must plan things for them.”

“You know you don’t have to plan his as well.”

“Keith is my baby and I will plan his.”  She tells Allura, they kept working on the party.  Allura finished her donut and immediately grabs another one.  “Are you okay?”  She asks.

“Yeah?  I’m fine, why do you ask?”  She asks.  Isabella looks on her phone like she was trying to say something.  Allura finished that one and grabs her third, Isabella looks at her and smirks.

“You know, the last time I ate like that I was pregnant with Rico.”  She said.  Allura stops mid bite and slowly looks at Isabella.

“T-That’s interesting…”  She said.  Isabella nods.

“Very…”  She points at Allura who was gaining weight.  Allura yelps and hides her stomach.

“T-There is no way that that is what is happening to me right?!”  She asks, Isabella pats her shoulder and gave her the signature McClain smirk.

“I’d get that checked.”  Allura practically screamed in fear.  Isabella smiles and picks up her keys.  “ _ Samuel estás a cargo, voy a salir un rato. _ ”

“Kay.”  Sam calls from upstairs.  Isabella pulls Allura up and drags her out.  Allura whimpers and reached for her half eaten donut.  After a minute of them being gone, Rico peaks from the kitchen.  He smiles and takes the box of donuts upstairs.

* * *

Lance, Keith, and Coran went to the rink again.  After going to a karaoke place and Keith being completely embarrassed while Lance and Coran sang their hearts out.  Them chasing an ice cream truck with a group of kids.  Keith having to pull Lance out of the Chuck E. Cheese again, while Coran spoke with the other adults.  Finally Keith got to do something he liked.

Lance whimpers and held onto Keith so he didn’t fall.  Keith kept skating.

“If you fall I’m leaving your ass behind.”

“Nonononononono!”  Lance whines, Coran goes by like a professional skater.

“Ah reminds me of when Allura was in derby.”  He cries at the memory.  “She was like an angel on skates.”

“What’s derby?”  Lance asks.

“A sport that involves skates.  Wanna see it?”

“S-Sure?”  Lance was scared, and he had every right because then Keith rams into him and skates off laughing.

“ _ ¡EL HIJO DE PUTA! _ ”  He snaps.  Keith kept laughing, Lance pouts and skates to Coran.  “I’m staying with you.”

“Okay, nice to have company.”  The two skated for an hour, Lance was worried cause Keith had been gone most of the time, at least Lance is getting the hang of skating.  He sees Nyma and skates to her, she smiles and waves.

“Hello Lance.”

“Hi, what are you doing here?”  Lance asks.  She smiles.

“I’m hanging out with Rolo, the one who runs the dance class for boys.”  She said.  “He’s been talking to your friend for a while.”  She points at Keith talking with Rolo.  Rolo looked very rebellious, multiple piercings and white hair.  Lance had to admit he looked cool.

“I think your friend likes him.”  She teases, Lance looks at Keith.  He was blushing like a mad man and messing with his hair.  Keith was trying to seem cool, that was obvious, but failed miserably.

Lance felt anger boil in him, he skates up and got their attention.

“Excuse me.”  They look up.  “Am I interrupting something?”

“You must be Lance.”  Rolo said.  “I’m Rolo, I’ve heard from Nyma and Keith here that your brother wants to try dance?”

“Yeah, he does.”  Lance said in a rather kind tone, Rolo could tell Lance wasn’t happy.  He clears his throat awkwardly.

“Well anyways, I would like to have him.  If Sarah is an indication of anything.  When he’s seven he can join…”  Rolo said.  “Keep that in mind bro.”

“I will.”  Lance said.  “Trust me Rico really wants to join.”

“Cool.  See ya later, nice talking to ya Keith.”  He skates to Nyma, she held onto his shoulder and skates off.  Keith waves awkwardly.  As soon as they were out of sight Lance smacks Keith and skates off.

“OW WHAT THE HELL?!”  He yells.  Lance said nothing.  “A-Are you mad?”  Nothing.  “WHAT DID I DO?  LANCE?!”

Coran saw Keith trying to talk to Lance, he kept skating and refused to talk to him.  He sighs.

“Something is always up with these two I swear.”

* * *

Keith had Shiro pick him up and take him home.  Keith was confused and was asking Shiro for advice.

“Like he’s really mad at me, I don’t know what I did!”

“Well what were you doing before?”  Shiro asks.

“Talking to this Rolo guy.  But I don’t see how he could be mad about that.”

“Who’s Rolo?”

“Oh he’s the really hot guy who teaches dance.”  Keith said in a daze, Shiro smacks Keith much like Lance did.  “OW WHAT IS WITH THE ABUSE?!”

“You are a fucking idiot!”

“SO YOU HIT ME?!”

“Lance is jealous you moron!   You hurt his feelings!”

“What the hell are you talking about?”  Keith asked.  “I didn’t hit on him, or anything like that.”

“I know you aren’t subtle Keith.  Lance noticed that you were attracted to Rolo so he got upset.”  Shiro said.  “I’m siding with him, you fucked up.”

“He did that with Lotor!”  Keith points out.

“Okay let me tell you how it’s different.”  Shiro snaps.  “One: Lotor kept pressuring Lance and pursuing him.  He was uncomfortable and obviously didn’t like him.”  He made a two with his fake fingers.  “Two: You two weren’t dating when Lotor was around, YOU’RE DATING NOW!”  Shiro opens the door.  “Be lucky I’m staying quiet to Allura, she’d kill you if she figured this out.”

“Look I’m sorry!”

“Don’t be sorry to me moron.”  Shiro said as they walked in, Allura was holding herself waiting for them to come home, she looked worried.

“Uh… is this a bad time?”  She asked, Shiro raised an eyebrow.

“No, no I was just scolding this idiot.”  He pushed Keith inside, Keith growls and pouts.  “What do you need?”

“Y-You might want to sit down.”  The boys walk in and sat on the couch in the living room.  Keith was curled up and stayed far away from Shiro.  Allura sat on the chair and took a deep breath.

“So I was with Isabella today… planning Keith’s party.”  She starts.  “She noticed something off about me… so we went to see what was wrong.”  Allura took a deep breath, she was holding an envelope and messed with it in her hands.

“Everything alright?”  Shiro asked.  She closed her eyes tight and gave the envelope to Shiro.  He raised an eyebrow and took it, he pulls out what was in it and completely froze.

“What is it?”  Keith looks over, they looked like fuzzy pictures.  Shiro dropped the pictures, he was like the living embodiment of 404 not found.  Keith waved his hand in front of his brother.  “Shiro?  What the hell?”  Shiro.exe has stopped working.

Keith picked the pictures up and stares, he cocks his head to the side as he stares at it.  He saw some faint outline of a tiny object.  Keith looks at Allura.

“What the heck is this?”  He asks.  Allura gestures Keith to come closer, he does and shows her the pictures.

“See that?  That’s what’s causing this.”  She said as she held her stomach.  Keith points at the object.  He was curious.  “Keith… I’m pregnant.”  Allura finally said.  Keith’s mouth dropped.  “Y-You’re gonna be an uncle.”  Keith was speechless, a smile appeared on his face.

He points at the picture of the child.  Allura nods.

“Only six months left.”  She said, Shiro groans.

“Three months?!  You are three months in?!”

“Two or three.”  She said.  “What do you think?”  She asked Keith.  He still couldn’t say anything, he felt happy.

“I’m too young for this.”  Shiro fell on the couch, mixed emotions running through him.  Allura laughs and held Keith who was still staring at the picture.  He was so happy right now.  Someone else was joining his life, someone who is family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot do a fucking surprise with you guys, first it's Sam now Allura. I swear this fandom is way too good at guessing and analyzing EVERYTHING! Well hope you enjoy.


	56. Jealousy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note! So my Dad told my sister's and I that we'll be turning off the internet in the morning and at night because everyone in my house is online all the time and never leave. Honestly I think it's dumb to do that when winter is rolling in and soon we'll be snowed in. But I can't control it.  
> So chapters will take even longer to make, due to this change. Sorry bout that.

Lance hung out with Pidge during the weekend and were bored out of their minds.  They sat upside down on her bed and watched TV, their glasses were on their foreheads.  Colleen walks in and gave them the most unamused look.

“What are you two doing?”

“No idea.”  Pidge said.

“Well Hunk’s here so if you want to see him.”  She walks off, Pidge and Lance refused to get up.  Hunk walks in and sees what their doing.

“Should I ask?”

“We don’t have an answer for ya.”  Lance said.  He sat on the bed and waited for them to get up, he texted Shay for a good ten minutes before nudging them both with his foot.  He nudged Lance too hard causing him to fall of the bed.  He groans as he got up, then he held his head.

“Ah ah ah blood rushed to my head!”  He yelps, Pidge got up and groans.  She gave Hunk a rather tired look.

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing, I wanted to hang out with all of you so I came to get you first then go get the other two.”  He said.  “I thought it make sense getting you first, you know where Lance lives, Lance knows where Keith lives.”  He said.  “Which isn’t fair, I mean Lance is my best friend so I should know where he lives.”

“Yeah but knowing where he lives is awesome.”  Pidge said.  “I mean his baby brother Rico has so much stuff he randomly found, kid found an old gameboy!”

“Don’t bring up my brothers obsession with stealing.”  Lance said.  “And I know why you love going to my house.”

“Oh really?”  Pidge smirks.  Lance gave her a playful smile and a wink, she threw a pillow at him.  Hunk was confused.

“Uh, what is it?  What’s the reason?”

“She has a crush on-”

“NOOOOOO NO NO NO NO NO NO!”  Pidge interrupts him.  Hunk shrugs and looks at Lance.

“So you wanna go get Keith and we can go hang out?”  He asks.  Lance went from giggly to pissed.  Pidge and Hunk look at Lance with a confused look, he never acts like that unless…  

“Oh no.  What happened?”  Pidge asks.  Lance pouts.

“Nothing, nothing at all.  I just don’t want to see him.”

“Yeah somethings up.”  Hunk said.  “What’s up?”

“Seriously, maybe sometimes I want to be away from Keith.  You know, take a break from the boyfriend and all that.”  Lance said, his friends raise a questioning eyebrow.  “Don’t give me that look!  I speak the truth!”

“You never want to be away from Keith.  You two are fucking obsessed with each other.”  Pidge said.  Lance pouts and looks away.  Pidge looks at Hunk, they nod at each other and Hunk walks into the other room.  Pidge distracts Lance with a party game.

* * *

“You guys needed something?”  Keith asks as he pokes his head in.  Lance stares at him and groans, Keith looks down.  “B-Bad time.”

“NOPE!”  Hunk stops him.  “We’re having a chat.”  He blocks the door, Keith held himself awkwardly.  Lance refused to look at him.  Pidge turns her game off and waits for one of them to speak, it wasn’t happening.

“Guys… one of you will have to make an effort.”  She said.  Both stayed silent, Keith took a deep breath and started.

“A-Are you still mad about last night?”  Keith asked.  “I didn’t flirt or anything like that, I promise.”  Nothing.  “Look, I don’t know why you’re so upset by this.”  Lance’s eyes snap at him.  His blue eyes like ice, piercing him.

“Oh I’m not upset at all.”  He hissed.  “You were just acting all cute and flirty with another man.  I’m not upset at all!”  Clearly upset.  Both their friends stared at the two like what they were hearing was false.

“Look you’d do the same thing-”

“I would not!”  Lance snaps.  “Are you saying I’d flirt with someone else?!  Unbelievable!”  So it was true, and hard to believe.  “You don’t trust me!”

“Well I mean, before we dated you were kind of a flirt and-”

“Seriously?!”  Lance snaps.  “News flash asshole, I only flirt with you!  You know, you, my fucking boyfriend!”

“Well Lotor-”  Keith started, Lance’s jaw dropped.  He’s bringing up Lotor again, seriously?!

“I’m outta here.”  Lance immediately got up and left.  Keith couldn’t think of anything to say, Lance storms out of Pidges house and left the other three in silence.  Pidge and Hunk stare at their friend in confusion.

“What the hell happened between you two?!”  She asks.

“He’s just a jealous mess.”

“And you clearly said the wrong things.”  Pidge said.  “Have fun trying to make up.”  She turned on another game and played, Hunk joins her.  Keith curls up on Pidge’s bed and watches them play.  He held a pillow up and wraps his arms and legs around it, quietly watching and hopes no one else is mad at him.

* * *

Isabella was looking through her plans for the party while Lance plays with Sarah’s hair.  She was playing fishy fishy with Rico, Sam was a boat man who would try taking the fish from Sarah.

“So what would you like to eat at your party?”  She asks.  Sarah jumps in her seat.

“ _ ¡Fuente de Camarones al Ajillo! _ ”  She squeaks.

“ _ Oi, ¿desde cuándo es tu fiesta? _ ”  Lance chuckles.  She giggles and looks up at her brother.  Rico had a sheet over him, was suppose to be a net, and looks in their direction.

“ _ ¿Dónde está la fiesta? _ ”  He asks.  Isabella smiles at her son.

“ _ En Allura's café. _ ”  She told her son, Sam picks Rico up and wheels away.

“I got the fish.”  Sam said in a smug tone.  Rico giggles in the sheet and squirms.

“Fishy goes flop flop.”

“No, you’re a dead fish!”  He said through laughter.  The other siblings laughed at them, Isabella shook her head and went back to her plan.  The siblings changed the game from fishy to chase Sam.  Lance got up to go to work, Sam felt a little betrayed that no one was going to help him.

* * *

Keith slowly walks into the cafe and noticed Lance was squealing like an idiot.  Allura told him the news and now he’s excited, Allura was laughing at his reaction.

“ _ ¡Vas a ser mamá! ¡Esto es tan emocionante! _ ”  He jumps in joy.  “ _ ¿Nombres? ¿Y el género? ¡Vamos dame detalles! _ ”  He says, Allura makes a calm motion with her hands.

“Calm it Lance, I don’t understand a word you’re saying.”  She said while giggling.  “Keith, can you translate?”  She asks, Lance looks over and walked off.  His happiness faded to anger and Allura noticed it.  Keith looks down and walked into the kitchen.

“Uh… everything okay?”  She asks, Lance glares.

“Oh it’s fine.  Everything is fine.”  He started working on the lobby while Keith worked in the kitchen, of course Coran isn’t there.  Keith had to deal with this alone.

“Blue lion: Strawberry blast.”

“On it.”  Keith started making the drink.

“Blue lion: rootbeer float and Green lion: Bubble tea.”  Allura said, Keith groans.

“On it on it damn…”  Keith makes everything and rests against the wall.  Lance served everyone and went back to Allura.  He started to tease her about her weight, that resulted with a smack to the head and a chuckle.

“You shit.”

“I love you.”  He squeaks.  The two have a petty slap fight and giggle the whole time.  Keith pokes his head out from the window and stares at them.  Lance saw him and walked away, Allura raised an eyebrow.

“What is wrong with you two?”  She asks.  Lance said nothing, Keith looked like a kicked puppy.  He slinks back into the kitchen and left Allura confused.  When customers piled in the three were flooded in work and serving.

As soon as they got done helping everyone they all relaxed.  Everything was calm and relaxed, Allura was reading, Keith was messing with cups, and Lance was talking to people in the lobby.  All in all the usual.

Until Allura conked out.  Lance groans and put his jacket on her like a blanket and let her sleep.  He pokes his head into the kitchen to tell Keith.

“Oi.”  He says in a rather cold tone.  “Sister fell asleep.  We’re taking over for a bit.”  Lance left after that, Keith sighs and sat on the floor.  Things were really awkward between them and they weren’t happy with it.  Both for different reasons.

Another hour rolls by and Keith was really bored.  He wanted to talk to someone, hell he’ll talk to his pissed off boyfriend if it means it’ll cure his boredom.  He walked out and sat next to his sleeping sister and looked through her book.  She curled into his thigh and kept on resting, Keith pats her head and began to read her weird scifi book.  Allura always loved space things, Keith is sure that Allura is an alien in another life.

After two chapters he was lost in the story, confused he checked what it was really about.  He was reading the third book in the series, of course.  He puts it down and messed with Allura’s hair.  It was something to do.

He looks at Lance, he was chatting with a few people and having a decent time.  Lucky that he has an easier time talking to people.  Lance saw Keith was staring at him, he pouts and looks away.  Now Keith was getting sick of his attitude, this stupid petty attitude was driving him nuts.

Lance walks over with money and got out change, he was quick about it.

“What are you doing?”  Keith asks in an annoyed tone.  Lance glares at him and walks into the kitchen.

“My job.  Someone wants a muffin so I’m getting them one.”

“Let them get it themselves.”  Keith said.

“Well I got up to get it cause I’m nice.”  Lance hissed, Keith rolls his eyes.

“I’m sure that’s the reason.”  He grumbles.  Lance kicked the counter Keith was sitting at and walks into the kitchen.  Keith didn’t flinch when he kicked and gave Lance a bored look.  He walks back to the group and hands them the pastry.

He glares over at Keith, who was still messing with Allura’s hair.  Lance can’t believe Keith would think that he was still some flirt who’ll chase anyone.  His glare turned into a smirk, well if he was a flirt then he can just do that whenever.  That’s just who he is right?

Keith heard laughter, it made everyone in the cafe look up.  Lance was talking to two girls who were hanging out.  He was talking to them in a playful voice and would get close.  The girls obviously liked the attention, Keith however…

He slowly got up and walks towards Lance.  He jabs him in the back and glares, Lance squeaks and looks over.

“You need something?”  He asked in a cold tone, Keith crosses his arms and raises an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I need you to get back to work.”

“I am doing my job.”  Lance sassed back.

“No this isn’t your job.  Quit disturbing them and get back to work.”  He snaps.  The girls got Keith’s attention.

“Actually…”  One starts.  “We don’t mind having him around.”  Keith glares, Lance smirks and whispers.

“What?  I’m just being myself.  You know, a flirt who can’t seem to be satisfied.  Though with my relationship it’s easy to see why.”  He said sweetly.  Keith grew upset, he stared at Lance with a look that was somewhere between hurt and flat out angry.  He didn’t hold back, he punched Lance dead in the face.  Lance held his cheek, his glasses fell on the floor.

He fought back, Keith should remember when they first met.  Lance is not one to back down from a fight.  What’s different is now he’s a hell of a lot stronger since now he’s taking care of his entire family.

Everyone at the cafe watched or left.  Allura woke up due to commotion, she saw them and freaked out.  Running in between them and held them back.  Both boys still reached for one another ready to kill but didn’t want to hit Allura for many reasons, one of those being they want to live to see tomorrow.

“KNOCK IT OFF BOTH OF YOU!”  She yells.  Both boys argued with each other.

“HE STARTED IT!”

“I DIDN’T DO SHIT!  YOU STARTED IT!”

“I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT I EVEN DID WRONG!  YOU’RE A JEALOUS BRAT!”

“YOU THINK I’M A FUCKING SLUT!”

“CAUSE YOU ARE!”  Keith points.  “A FILTHY SLUT WHO’LL LET ANYONE IN!”

“I HATE YOU!”

“GLAD IT’S MUTUAL!”  They continued to shout, Allura got sick of their yelling and pushed them both down.  She grabs Keith and held him back.

“We’re going home, now.”  She growls, then looks at Lance.  “Out.”  He ran out of the cafe completely upset.  Allura closes it up and drags Keith out, Shiro can deal with him.  Allura’s way too tired to deal with anything.

* * *

Lance ran in and immediately bolts upstairs, slamming his bedroom door behind him.  His whole family watched in shock and down right confusion.  They all walked upstairs, the best they could, and went to the closed door.  Isabella spoke up.

“ _ Lance cariño, ¿está todo bien? _ ”  She asks in a calm voice.

“ _ ¡Vete! ¡No quiero ver a nadie ahora mismo! _ ”  He demands, everyone stayed at the door.  “I SAID GO AWAY!”  He shouts.  They all left, almost all of them.  Sam walks in and saw Lance sitting in the corner of the room, he walks over to him and sat on the floor next to him.  Breathing heavily he tried to speak, Lance didn’t kick Sam out.

“So… w-what happened?”  Sam tried to speak while at the same time catch his breath.  Lance buried his face in his knees and thought about what to say.

“Sam… do you think I’m a slut?”

“Huh?”  Sam looks at him.

“ _ ¿Crees que soy una zorra asquerosa? _ ”

“No, not at all.”  Sam said giving his brother a confused look.  He leans against Lance and asks.  “What made you think that?”

“Because…”

“Just because you don’t care about gender doesn’t make you a slut.  You still have standards.”  Sam points out.  “What’s going on?”

“I-I just…”  Lance tears up.  “I’m a fucking jealous mess and now I… I made him mad.”  Lance said as he wipes tears from his face.

“You mean Keith?”  Sam asks, Lance nods and looks at the ground.

“He must hate me.”  Lance mumbles.

“I highly doubt that.  I’m sure whatever you two are fighting about you’ll make up, you two care way too much about the other.”  He teases, Lance wouldn’t look at anything, he buries his face in his knees again and stayed silent.  Sam sighs and took Lance’s phone to call someone.

“What do you want McClain?”  Pidge asks over the phone.

“It’s Sam.”  Sam said in a bored tone.

“Oh okay, let me rephrase that.  What do you want McClain?”  Sassy much?  Sam chuckles and talks.

“Have you talked to these two today?”

“If you’re talking about tweedle dum and tweedle idiot then yes.  Lance is being jealous and Keith is being a little inconsiderate.”  She said.  “Can I ask why you’re on your brother’s phone?”

“Cause I wanted to find out what was going on.  He won’t talk so I decided to ask someone who probably did.  I just typed in his password, went to his contacts and decided to call “angry bird”.”  Sam said.

“Oh ha ha ha you’re funny.”  Silence.  “Is that really my contact name?”  She asks in slight worry, Sam chuckles.  “No I’m being serious Sam, is that what my number is under?!”

“So what should we do?”  He changes the subject.

“I don’t know, it’ll blow over soon enough.”  She said.  “I say give it time, they’ll make up soon enough.”

“Okay, if that’s what you think is best.”

“You’re Lance’s brother, you know him better than I do.  You do what you think is right.”  She points out.  “I’ll call Keith and see what’s going on.”

“Okay, bye angry bird.”

“That is my fucking contact name, isn’t it!”  Pidge shouts.  Sam hung up and put Lance’s phone down.  He leans against Lance and tries to calm him down.  Hopefully things will blow over before they graduate.

* * *

Allura drank the pickle juice and looks at the empty jar in sadness.

“We’re out.”

“I told you not to eat them all.”  Shiro said as he pets Black.  Allura pouts and leans against him.

“I want more.”

“Then buy more.”

“I don’t wanna move!”  She whines.  Shiro didn’t budge.

“You want something you go get it.  You’re a big girl, you can do it.”

“No, I can’t.  I’m tired, pity me.”  She lays on his lap, taking Black and moves the cat to her stomach.  Black stares at her like she was nuts.

“We have other things to eat, go look.”  He said.  She pouts and got up, still holding Black.  “Can I have my cat back?”

“No.”  Allura opens the fridge and pulls out leftover pizza.  She started to eat it cold, Shiro groans and took it from her.  She whines and tries reaching for it, dropping Black in the process.  He puts it in the oven and drags her back.  “Come on, over here.”

“I want food!”

“You’ll get it soon enough.”  The two sat around and watched TV again.  “I’m sorry that you had to deal with those two, I’m sure that it’ll get better.”  Shiro looks up.  “Knowing them it’ll get resolved somehow.”

“What do you mean?”

“When one of them realizes they fucked up they fix it and make up.  Though knowing Keith he’ll be way too stubborn to admit it and something will happen that’ll make Lance forgive him.”  That got a laugh from Allura.

“Yeah, hell Keith’ll probably give him his puppy eyes.”

“Oh God I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t fall for those eyes.”  Shiro said, they kept laughing.

“He knows too, he knows he can get away with anything when he looks at you with those.”  Allura says.  “I think Lance falls for them the most.”

“Makes sense.”  Shiro said.  “Keith wants a partner he can control.  Well he found a way to control.”

“Am I in control?”  Allura asks sweetly.

“Sadly yes because you are crazy strong and everytime I say you’re wrong then I get kicked out of my room.”  He said.

“And you should know I’m never wrong.”  Allura said.

“Well…”

“Shiro.”  Allura warns, Shiro chuckles and puts his arms up in defense.  Keith came out of his room and stole the pizza from the oven.  Allura saw that and ran at him.  “Get over here boy, that is mine!”

Keith hissed at her to get her away, cause all adults hiss like cats to show how terrifying they are.

“Don’t fight me boy, I need it more than you!”

“You two please don’t wrestle.”  Shiro said.  “Allura just give up, you shouldn’t rough house.”

“I do what I want!”  She put Keith in a headlock.  Shiro slouches on the couch, Black sat next to him.  They both looked at each other then back at the TV.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I re wrote the chapter three times and I'm still unsure...


	57. Make it Count

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I'm pissed off cause I failed two classes this year. Accounting (which I knew I was gonna fail) and workplace professionalism. The class that is required and teaches you how to do an interview and to act professionally in a work environment. I SOMEHOW FAILED THAT!  
> So yeah I was pissed off and decided to work on this chapter cause I'm frustrated and needed to calm down. Enjoy.

Lance was surrounded by all his church family congratulating him on graduating.  He got pats on the back and hugs and people asking about college.  Soon enough he gave up and left the crowd and hid.  His sister found him hiding away and laughs at him.

“Lance, come back out.”

“Nope.”  He said.  Sam rolls over and sighs.

“Lance come on.”

“No, I’m staying here.”

“Out.”

“No.”

“Come out like you did last year.”

“Fuck no.”  Lance laughs.  They forced the door opened and charged him, all the kids squeal like idiots.  Isabella walks over and scolds them.

“ _ ¡Niños, compórtense! ¡Estamos en la iglesia! ¡Lance tienes dieciocho años, actúa como! _ ”  She snaps, they all kept wrestling.

* * *

Keith juggled oranges in the cafe while Coran was washing dishes.  He looked at Keith and smiles.

“You bored my boy?”

“No, I’m doing this cause business is booming.”  Keith said sarcastically.  Coran laughs.  He looks out at Allura who eating a whole packet of Chips Ahoy and reading.  Keith pokes his head out the window with Coran.  “Can I have a cookie?”

“Give me back my pizza and I’ll give you one.”  She says, Keith pouts and slowly goes back in the kitchen.  Coran spoke up.

“Have you told your father yet?”  He asks, Allura sighs and looks at Coran.

“No, he’d be upset if he found out I got pregnant.  I’m not even married yet.”

“I think he’d be happy to hear he’s having a grandchild.”  He said.  Keith nods.

“Yeah, I’m happy that I’m going to be an uncle.”  He said.  Coran looks at Keith with a questioning look.

“You want to be an uncle?”  He asks.  Allura laughs.

“Keith loves kids, he wants to be a dad more than anything.”  She said.  Keith grew embarrassed and looks down.

“Really now?”  Coran asks.  “I can see Lance wanting to be a dad, but you too?”  Keith groans as soon as Coran finished.

“Can we not bring up the boyfriend now?  Thanks.”  Keith said.  Coran raised an eyebrow.

“Are you two still fighting?  I swear you two are worse than girls.”  He went back to work, Keith grumbles.

“It’s like I’m dating a girl…”  He puts the fruit down and plays on his phone, a call came in.  It was Pidge, he answers.

“Hi Pidge.”

“Hi… I wanted to call you last night but I fell asleep.”  She said.  Keith raised an eyebrow.  “What is going on with you two?”  She asks, he was sick of everyone now decided to butt in and ask about the fight.

“Nothing.  Everything is fine.”

“Then why did Sam call me last night?  He said Lance wasn’t talking so I assume he’s upset.”  She snaps.  “I want to help you two so just tell me what’s going on or I’m asking Lance!”

“Fine if you’ll shut up!”

* * *

The pastor was going off about something, Lance wasn’t really paying attention.  Sam fell asleep and Rico was doodling on a sketchbook.  Sarah leans against Isabella and listened the best she could.  Finally the pastor says to everyone.

“Final prayers, any requests?”  A few people said pray for their grandchildren in college, others said to heal their sick friends.  Sarah raised her hand, he saw her and nods.  “Yes child?”

“Pray for my brother, I want the lord to help him make up with his boyfriend.”  She says, Lance slowly looks at Sarah.  She smiles sweetly, like she was doing him a favor.

Everyone giggles at Lance, he groans and hid his face.  The pastor smiles and nods.

“I guess we can do that.”  They bowed down in prayer.  “Lord above we pray that you watch over all our children going off into the real world and we ask you to keep them on the right path, the path of you.  We ask you heal Joaan Bud and heal her, give her the strength to overcome her ill state and to power through, and we ask to give her family peace in knowing she’ll be okay.  We ask that you look out for Lance and his boyfriend-”  Lance groans, everyone chuckles a bit upon hearing him.  “- help him see if this one is really the one you planned for him Lord.  We ask in your name is Jesus name we pray, amen.”

Everyone mumbles amen and they walk out.  Lance gives Sarah a noogie and kept walking.  All his siblings laugh and chase him out, he shrieks and runs to the park outside of the church.  The younger two got distracted, Sam got out of his chair and ran to Lance.  He caught up and tackled him down, both boys laugh.

“M-My chest burns!”  Sam laughs.

“You’re a fucking idiot Sam!”  Lance tried pushing him off.  “Get off of me your heart monitor hurts!”

“Now you know how I feel.”  He says.  “It pinches my skin all the time.”  The kids continued to play at the park.  Lance carried Sam to the tire swing and swings him around.  They played for a while, Isabella sees her kids and groans.

“Silly children.”

* * *

“Stupid!  Stupid!  Stupid!”  Pidge smacks Keith’s back repeatedly, Allura ignores them and continues to read her book.

“Stop hitting me!”

“NO!”  She kept hitting him.  “You fucked up!  You need to apologize to him!”

“But I didn’t do anything wrong!”  Keith shouts.

“Yes you did.”  Allura said.

“Did not!”

“You punched him and called him a slut.”  Allura said.  Pidge kept hitting him.

“After a stunt like that Keith, I wouldn’t be surprised if he broke up with you!”  She snaps, that made Keith stop and looked at her in fear.  He looks to the side and rubs the back of his neck.

“That might happen?”

“Might as well.”  She said, Allura walks up to Keith and pats his shoulders.

“Keith look at me.”  He did.  “I know this is your first relationship but you need to know when you’ve gone too far.”  She said.  “You really hurt Lance, I can tell what you said he took to heart.  You need to fix this and apologize, swallow your pride and admit you were wrong.”  Keith looks down and kicks at the floor.

Pidge pats his back and hung out with them for the rest of the day.

* * *

Their last Monday came around, Lance felt weird that tomorrow was their last day and on Saturday it’s the graduation ceremony.  He felt proud of himself, he made it through school.  Rebecca must be smiling at him from above.  Hunk found him first, they talked for a bit and waited for the other two.  Both were very confused.

“Um… where’s Mullet and the Gremlin?”  Lance asks, Hunk points.

“Keith said he didn’t want to be near you today.”  That made Lance hit his head against his locker, and that didn’t explain why Pidge wasn’t latched to his back.

“I wanted to try and make up.”  Lance groans.  Hunk raised an eyebrow.

“You’ll see him again today, why not wait till you two are alone?”  He asks.  “I don’t want to be around you two while you talk cause it’s not my issue.”

“You’re right.”  Lance nods.  He smiles and pats Hunk’s shoulder.  “And this is why you’re my best friend!”

“Well someone has to be.”  He teased, the two walked down to the halls and talked.

* * *

Keith was listening to his music in the commons.  He sat on the senior benches and was bored yet confused and scared.  What was this called?  Oh yeah, an anxiety attack.  He clicked on another song on YouTube when someone yelled at him.

“KOGANE!”  He jumps and looks up, Sam was rolling up to him.  Pidge running to keep up with him… damn he can roll himself fast.  He got right it Keith’s personal space and points.  “If I wasn’t stuck in this damn chair I’d kick your sorry ass!”

“Is there a problem?”  He asks in a bored tone, Pidge caught up and leans on the handles of the chair.

“Yeah!  You’re a fucking idiot!”  He snaps, Keith rolls his eyes and groans.

“Not this talk again!”  He says.  “I get it, I fucked up and hurt your brother’s feelings.”  Sam glares at Keith as he said that.  He rolls over his foot in revenge for Lance.  Keith yelps and held his foot in pain.  “YOU MOTHER FU-”

“You’re a big idiot!”  Sam shouts, he sounded upset.  “Here I thought Lance found someone who actually cared about him, boy was I wrong!”  He was hissing with each word, Keith could tell Sam was about to lose it.

“Look I’m sorry.”

“No, you’re not!”  He shouts.  “You’re never sorry for that!  Once that happens you can never take it back!”  They could hear his heart racing.  Pidge puts one hand on his shoulder, that didn’t work at all.

“You punched him!”  Sam snaps, a tear falling down his face.  “ _ ¡Eres igual que ese monstruo! _ ”  He shouts.  “Don’t come near my brother if you’re gonna hurt him like that!  Mi Papá was enough!”  With that he rolled away, Pidge looks at Keith, then back down at the ground.

“Sam wait up!”  She calls, she ran to him to help calm him down.  Keith sat there so upset, now at himself.  He made Sam so upset that he shouted and compared him to his father.  That’s made his stomach turn, he felt disgusted.  He punched Lance, called him a slut for being bi, making him more insecure.

He sat on the bench and curled up in a ball, he started muttering over and over again.

“It’s all my fault, it’s all my fault-”

* * *

The rest of the day was awkward, Keith apparently freaked out and was sent home. 

Lance held himself awkwardly as he waited for his friends to finish dressing out for gym, he was worried about Keith.  Another panic attack, he has a feeling that their fight might have played a part in it.

Pidge walks up and climbed on his back.

“You alive in there?  Ya seem brain dead.”  She giggles, Lance looks at her.

“Pidge, did you happen to see Keith today?”  He asks, she hops down and nods.  She seemed a little upset.  “Was he okay?  I heard he had another episode, scared some random students.”  He said.  “Was he okay this morning?”

“Um… Sam may have caused that episode.”

“What?!”  Lance freaks out.  “What happened?!”

“Sam wasn’t too happy with Keith.  I told him that Keith hit you and called you a slut… he got mad and stormed off to find him.  Dude was running on pure anger, it was hard to keep up with him.  And he’s in a wheelchair for christ sake.”  She says.  “Sam was trying to look out for you.”

“I’m not mad at my brother Pidge.  He’s a bit protective of me since the first… well beating.”  Lance reassures her.  “He has our Papá’s rage, once he’s mad he tends to blow up.”

“You sure you’re not mad?”

“Of course.  Though once Sam blows up he can’t calm down easily.”  He points out.

“I know… it took me all morning hour to calm him down.  He got mad then started crying, then got mad again.  I swear his heart was going a mile a minute.”  She says, Lance gave her a smirk.  “What’s with that ugly face?”

“Nothing~”  He sings, she punched him.

“I KNOW WHAT THAT FACE MEANS!”  She shrieks, he giggles and runs away.  She chased him.

“If you knew then why did you ask?”  He teases.  Hunk walks out and saw them chasing each other, he smiles and films the two.  They didn’t know how famous they really were thanks to their antics, though I’m sure this is not how they wanted to be known.

* * *

Keith was still mumbling in his room, he was a total mess at the moment.  He wasn’t too far gone, but he forgot Allura was pregnant.  So he asked why she was so fat causing her to get mad at him.  Shiro had to keep her away from him, he walks in and tried to calm Keith down.

“Keith?”  He was wrapped up in a little Keef-burrito and was still mumbling.  “Keith, come on bro.”  Keith looks up at him, he had his puppy eyes on.  “Yes yes, you are cute.  But you need to get up.”

Keith hid under the blankets.  Shiro chuckles and pulls him out, Keith still looked sad as ever.

“Out Keith.”

“No, I freaked out in school!  I hurt Lance, I’m just as bad as his dad.”  He whimpers, Shiro sighs and lays next to him.

“Are you as bad?”

“Yes.”  Keith nods.

“Does his dad say he loves him?”

“No.”

“Does he care about him?”

“No.”

“Does he make the whole family happy?”

“I thought you knew that he was an asshole.  The family was happier to see a restraining order.”

“My point is you are not like his dad.”  Shiro said.  “You are a kind person who loves Lance a lot-”  Keith about cut him off.  “And I know you fucked up and made it worse, so that means you try to make it better.”

“What if I mess up again?”

“I don’t think that’ll happen.”  Shiro said.  “Just be honest and admit you’re wrong.”  He rubs Keith’s hair and left him.  Keith was alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Lance was looking through clothes to wear tomorrow.  Sam put his clothes down and crawls up to his bed.  He saw Lance take down some clothes and smiled.

“You should wear Rebecca’s sweater.  You know, the blue one that you wore better.”  He said.  Lance looks at Sam with curiosity.  “It’ll be like taking a piece of her with, she’ll see what it’s like to go through a last day of school.”  That made Lance smile, he walked into her room and pulls the sweater out.  Blue with a little heart charm sewed onto it.  He took it in and puts it next to his clothes for tomorrow.

“I can’t believe I’m gonna graduate.”

“Yeah, scared?”

“Kind of, you?”

“I’m gonna miss you next year.”

“I’ll be living here still next year.”

“You won’t be at school.”  He said sadly.  “It’s gonna be different not going with you.  Soon enough you’ll move out and start your own family.”

“So will you Sam.  You’re not that much younger than me.”  Lance flops on his bed and looks at the pillow.  “Good night.”

“Night  _ hermano _ .”

* * *

Lance walked into the school pushing Sam.  He kept saying he could roll himself but Lance could tell his arms gave out.  He lead Sam to his locker, then walked to his.  All the seniors were running around sad that they were leaving but excited that it was over.

Lance got his stuff and walked around the halls.  He smiles at them, all the memories he’s made, all the people he’s met, the friends he’s made, and he’s only been here one year.  He sighs, thinking how lucky his siblings are for having multiple years here, time to find who they are and not just one year.  However his year went by so fast, it was crazy.

Lance bumps into someone, he stops and looks at the person he ran into.  It was a younger guy who was probably a year younger.  He glares at Lance, not happy with him at all.  He turns to Lance in anger.

“Well if it isn’t Kogane’s little bitch.”  He hisses.  “Watch where you’re going.”

“Damn, someone’s on their period.”  Lance said.  “Does someone need some midol?  Perhaps some chocolate?”  He teases, the boy glare deepens.

“Just watch it, Rice Queen.”

“Rice Queen?”  Lance was confused.  He didn’t know that was slang for liking Asian men.  He shrugs and kept walking, the guy laughs.

“Wow so you are an idiot!”

“Just leave me alone jackass.”  He shouts and kept walking.

“Wow, original.  I’m wounded~”

“What is your problem?!”  Lance shouts.  The boy smirks.

“Nothing, just telling a little sperm guzzler like you to keep your head straight.”  He says, Lance pushes the boy in anger.

“Don’t call me that!”  He snaps.

“Call you what?  It’s what you are!”

“Am not!”  Lance growls.  “Call me by my name and I’ll actually respect you!”

“I don’t respect you though, I wouldn’t respect anyone who liked that freak.  If he’s dating you I guess that makes him a Bean Queen.”

“Bean Que-”  Lance thought about it then freaked out.  “No he’s not!  You don’t know him so you can just shut up and leave him out of it!”

“Aw, the little man is gonna stand up for big bad Keith.”  He laughs, Lance kicks the boy hard in the stomach, he is anything if not leg muscle.  He storms off, the boy wasn’t letting Lance go easily.  He grabs his sweater and threw him against the wall.  Lance held his head in pain.  The boy smacks Lance hard in the head, he glasses were knocked off his face.

“You’re not so tough!  Just like your stupid little brother!”  Lance grabs his wrist and tried to push him back, he got Lance in a sticky situation though.  He stuck at a wall and was wailing on him.  Pushing him away didn’t stop the kid, damn these people have awful tempers.

* * *

Keith was walking in next to Hunk looking through pictures on his phone.  Keith was surprised to see a lot of videos.

“Why do you make so many?”

“Dunno, I’ve always liked filming things.  Kind of a personal project to film my life here, someday I wanna make a movie.”

“Cool, will I be in it?”

“Totally.”  Hunk said.  Keith smiles and watched one of his videos.  It was funny, some of them he didn’t know Hunk filmed.

“GET AWAY FROM ME!”  Both boys shot up when they heard that.  Keith looks at Hunk, they both looked scared and confused.

“Was that Lance?”  Hunk asks.  Keith didn’t think twice, he ran towards the shouting.  He saw the kid punching him.  Lance kept ahold of his wrist and was trying to push him away.

Keith thought on pure impulse, he ran over and punched the kid square in the jaw, the kid fell over and looks up in fear.  He broke in a cold sweat, damn Keith looked like he wanted blood.  The kid scrambles away, Keith wanted to chase after the kid but he saw Lance staring right at him.

He got up and walked towards him.

“Um… are you okay?”  Keith asked awkwardly.  Lance nods and smiles at him.

“Yeah.”  He hugs him.  “Thanks Keith.”

“Y-Yeah no problem…”  Keith starts, he remembers what Shiro told him.  He took a deep breath and spoke up.  “Lance?”

“What?”  Lance pulls away and stares at Keith.

“Um… I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry about what I said.”  He sounded like someone who was pleading for their life.  “I should’ve never hit you, I don’t think you’re a slut.  I love you so much and I really don’t want you to break up with me so please forgive me!  You can call me an idiot cause I know I am one and-”  Lance started to laugh.  “What?”

“Y-You’re so cute Keith!”  He calms down a bit.  “I’m not going to break up with you.”

“You’re not?  B-But I hurt you, I treated you like how your dad did!”

“And you’re admitting it.”  Lance points out.  “I’m still upset with your obvious attraction towards Rolo.”

“I-I’m sorry.”  Keith said.  “Lance you know I really like you, and you’re… you’re also… you know.”

“I’m what?”  Lance chuckles a bit.  Keith mumbles.  “Couldn’t hear you.”  He kept mumbling, he was looking down embarrassed.  “What is it Keith?”

“You’re… way hotter.”

“I am?”

“C-Can we drop it?!”  Keith shouts in anger.  Lance laughs.

“Am I a catch?”  He kept teasing.

“Yes okay?!”  Keith kept shouting.  “You’re hot, sexy, cute, funny, and the best fucking person I’ve ever met!  Ya happy?!”

“Very.”  Lance laughs.  This was funny.  Keith growls and grabs Lance’s waist.

“Come on.”  He says.

“Yes Dear.”  Lance curls into him, they walk away happily.  Pidge saw the whole thing with Hunk, she shook her head.

“I just don’t get it.”

“Don’t get what?”

“Their relationship.  Those two always fight and get mad, then the next thing ya know their fucking fine and dandy.  Like nothing is wrong.  I mean look at them!  Keith looks like a pissed off husband and Lance is the “I put up with this and that’s okay” wife!  I don’t get it, what do they see in each other?!”

“You wanted them together ya know.”

“They fight a lot then nothing is wrong!”

“Pidge, you’re forgetting that they’re guys.  We don’t hold grudges like girls do.  Lance wanted to talk to Keith and make up with him the day Sam told him off…”

“YOU GUYS PISS ME OFF!”

“Yeah yeah.”  Hunk got on his phone and walks away.  “Last day, make it count?”

“Make it count.”


	58. Welcome Mi Familia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright let me say this now, you do NOT have to remember all these names. I have a list right next to me with all their names, so I do not expect you all to remember them. With that being said enjoy reading.

The next day was spent cleaning the entire house, the kids stayed home from school to help Isabella clean.  Cleaning every inch and moving everything out of the way.  The kids still had no idea why they were cleaning, but Isabella seemed to want to clean as much as possible.

As soon as the living room was done Isabella pulls out random bed type things, Lance threw his broom down and points at the mess his mother made.

“WHY?!”  He asks.  “WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!”

“There is a reason for this!”

“What reason?”  Lance asks.

“You’ll see later today.”  She scolds.  “Now…   _ ¡Vuelvan a la limpieza! ¡Vamos, vamos! _ ”  She rushes her kids to clean again.  They grumble and clean again.  Later today they’ll get their answer.

* * *

Lance saw Sarah and Rico mess with the blankets on the floor.  Sam sat in his chair and fell asleep.  Soon enough loud banging was at the door.  The kids jumped and looked over at the door.  It sounded like more than one person was knocking.  Isabella rushes over and opens the door.  The people at the door smile, she shouts.

“ _ ¡Mi familia!  ¡Bienvenido! _ ”  She shouts.  A big burly man rushes in and hugs her, she smiles and hugs him back.

“ _ ¡Isabella!  ¡Todavía eres un blando! _ ”  He shouts, she smacks him and chuckles.

“ _ Y todavía eres un cabeza de carne. _ ”  She comments, he laughs and puts her down.  Lance gave him a look.

“Juan?!”

“ _ Sí, sí, soy yo, tu Tío Juan. _ ”  He said, then opens his arms up.  “ _ ¿Dónde están mis abrazos? _ ”  He shouts, Sarah laughs and runs to his arms, Sam got up and tried to move as quickly as possible.  They hug him happily, Lance saw his Uncle Julio walk in.

“ _ Hola Tío Julio. _ ”  He said, the small man smiles.

“ _ Hola. _ ”  He said.  Lance saw who else was there.  All of his mother’s siblings and their spouse.  His eyes went wide, Isabella smiles and opened her arms up.

“Maria, Alejandro, Lalo, Paco!”  She squeals.  “ _ ¡Mis hermanos y mi hermana! _ ”  All of them went into a big group hug.  Lance looks at his other Aunts and Uncles who just walked in and his fifteen cousins.

Sarah looked over and waved at her cousins.  Sam walks up quickly and hugs one of his cousins.

“Curro!”

“Sam!”  The two hug.  “ _ ¿Cómo estás primo? _ ”  Curro asks.

“ _ Genial, arruiné mi vida y ahora estoy discapacitado. _ ”  He points at his wheelchair laughing.  Another one runs up, a girl.

“ _ ¿Oh no lo que pasó? _ ”  She asks.  Lance jumps in joy and hugs her.

“Estela!”  He squeals, she saw who she was hugging and hugs back.

“Lance!”  He picks her up and spins her around.

“ _ Estela!  ¡Te extrañé tanto! _ ”  He says happily, then everyone else rushes in and hugs the two boys they remembered.  Rico hid behind Sarah while Sarah went to the other kids to try to get to know each other.  They didn’t know all the cousins like Lance and Sam did.

“Fabio!”  Lance shouts and hugs his other cousin, who was Estela’s twin brother.  The two boys hug each other then the twins run to Sam and about tackled him down.  Lance saw his eldsest cousin Natalio.

“Natalio, Natalio!”

“Lance!”  Natalio about bulldozed him down.  He is twenty six and over six feet tall and wider with muscles, Lance was tiny compared to him… widthwise.  As soon as he was put down two women screamed and hugged him.

“LANCE!”  He looks over and sees Chelo and Valeria.  They hugged him tight.  Then they looked over at Sam.  “SAM!”  They grabbed Sam and looked over at Sarah and Rico.  “SARAH, RICO!”  Rico screams and runs away, they chased him.

Luisina walks in and hugs Lance, he smiles at the smaller girl.

“ _ Hola cariño. _ ”

“ _ Te extrañé tanto Lance. _ ”  She said sweetly.  Sam laughs.

“Aw look at that.”  He teases.  “Luisina missed you!”

“She just said that moron.”  He hugs her back.  Then Lance looks over at his youngest cousin.  “Cleto?”

A little boy hides behind his mother, Lance’s Aunt Lucia, leg.

“ _ ¡Cleto, eres tan grande! _ ”  He said, Cleto waves at Lance like he was a stranger.  Lucia smiles and got on her son’s level.

“ _ Cleto, esta es tu prima Lance. Se alejó cuando naciste. _ ”  She said.  Cleto looks down then back up at Lance.

“ _ H-Hola Lan… _ ”  He said.  Lance pats his head.

“ _ Hola. _ ”  He pats Cleto’s head.  He looks over at his mother who was still in a group hug, his grandmother was in there now.  When she got there he will never know.

“Mamá, why is everyone here?”  He asks, his Aunts and Uncles looked at him confused, mainly because they had no clue what he just said.  Isabella smiles at her son.

“They’re here for you!  First one to graduate from High School in America!”  She said happily.  Lance looks over at all his family in shock.

“ _ ¿Vinieron de Cuba para celebrar mi graduación? _ ”  He asked.  They all smiled at him, Valeria jumps up and nods.  He teared up.  “ _ ¡Ustedes son la mejor familia que un tipo podría pedir! _ ”

His whole family laugh and some of them got up and hugged him.

* * *

Lance looks at the floor of his room, his cousins Curro and Rolando were dead asleep on the floor.  All his little cousins were in Sarah and Rico’s room, the Aunts and Uncles were downstairs sleeping on the forts and furniture.  The female cousins were in Rebecca’s room with Rosa.

His phone went off, Lance picked it up.  It was a call, he smiles and answers.

“Do you have any idea what time it is  _ Cariño _ ?”  He asks, he could hear Keith huff on the other side.  Lance could practically see his pout.

“I-I just was wondering if you were up.”

“You got your answer.”  Lance looked at his brother and cousins.  He didn’t want to wake them up.  “Hold on.”  Lance got to the window and crawled out on the roof.  “Okay I’m good.”

“You on the roof?”

“Didn’t want to wake anyone up.”  Lance said.  “Why did you call me?”

“I just said I was wondering if you were awake.  I mean I didn’t see you all day so I was just wondering what you were up to.”  Keith said.

“So you were thinking about me  _ Cariño _ ?”  Lance asks in a playful voice.  He heard a thunk on the other line, he giggled.

“N-N-No I was just-just um-”

“You fell didn’t you.”

“Shut up!”  Keith was embarrassed.  Lance kept chuckling.

“I think it’s cute that you’re thinking of me.”

“I wasn’t thinking of y-”

“I think about you when you’re not around too Keith.”  Lance admits.  “In fact I think about you all the time.”

“Oh my God Lance.”  Keith groans.  “Don’t you know when to quit?”

“Are you rejecting my love?  Shame on you!”

“No, I can’t stand it when you say stuff like that.  It’s… it’s just-”

“Keith?”  Lance cuts him off.

“Uh yeah?”

“I love you.”  It goes quiet.  Lance lays on his back and waits for Keith to reply.  He could hear him trying to speak but his words kept dying down.

“I-I love you too.”  He finally said.  Lance chuckles, Keith knew what Lance wanted to hear.  “Okay fine I was thinking about you, ya happy?”

“Very.”

“God why do I put up with you?”

“Because I’m your boyfriend.”  Lance stuck a leg up.  “You LOVE me!”

“Lance go to bed, and you better not be on that fucking roof or I swear to God-”  He could hear Isabella yell from inside the house, he yelps.  Keith could hear her as well and laughs.

“Thanks a lot, now I’m in trouble.”  He pouts, Keith’s laughter turned into small chuckles.  Lance couldn’t stay mad at him, but dammit he’ll try.  “Forget you, jerk.  I’m going back to bed.”

“Alright alright.  I should leave anyways can’t have you getting killed.”

“Yeah, goodnight.”

* * *

The next morning was complete chaos.  Isabella had to go to work while everyone else stayed in the house running around.  Sarah was now playing with all her cousins her age and older while Rico was playing with Cleto.  They were the same age and shy as heck so those two instantly connected.

Rosa claimed the kitchen again while his Aunts helped her cook.  The rest of his family stayed in the messy living room just talking or playing.  Some of them had to mess with Sam’s wheelchair, he sat there with the most expressionless face imaginable.  He wasn’t amused.

Lance watched his Uncle Juan throwing some of the kids up in the air, for being in his fifties he sure is strong.  Unlucky for his targets, which at the moment is his little cousin Salvador.  He was giggling though so he was happy.

Sarah runs to Lance with their cousin Hortensia next to her.  They looked almost identical if it wasn’t for the skin tone.

“ _ Lance, ¿podemos llevar a Hortensia a clase de baile? _ ”  She asks, Lance looks at the two.

“ _ ¿Ella quiere ir? _ ”  He asks, the two nod.  He sighs and leans back.  “Maybe…”

“ _ ¿Tal vez? _ ”  She pouts.  “I know that means no.  Come on Hortensia.”  She takes her cousin’s hand and the two walk off.  Lance rolls his eyes and lays back on the couch.  Sarah got caught by Uncle Juan and started throwing her, she squeals.

The front door opened and Keith looked in, his eyes went wide.  He turned away.

“This is a bad time.”  He said.  Lance saw him and ran over.

“No no Sweetie come back!”  He pulls Keith back in.  “Come in come in, everyone would love to see you.”

“Who are these people?!”  Keith was scared of all the strangers in the house, and apparently they were staying there as well.  Lance lead Keith into the house and on the couch.

“Okay so introductions are in order.”  He said and began to point.  “That over there is Chelo and over there playing with Rico is Cleto.  That little boy playing with Sarah is Salvador but we call him Sal.  The girl with them is Hortensia, that one sitting over there is Emigdia.”  Keith’s head began to spin.  “That woman is Tía Sonia, that’s Tío Lalo sitting over there next to him is his wife, mi Tía Emma.  Coming out of the kitchen with Abuela is mi Tía Maria and Tía Jennifer.”  

Rosa waves at Keith, he smiles and waves back.  Finally a familiar face.

“And over there is my Tío Julio, he sitting with my cousin Natalio.  Over there with Sam is Curro, Marcio is pushing his wheelchair.  Those two over there are twins, Fabio and Estela.  That guy who is running from Abuela now is Carmelo.  That boy flipping through channels is Rolando, his brother next to him is Sancho.  That’s Valeria, the one who is playing with Rico and Cleto.”  Lance points at the girl next to him.  “And this little angel is mi cousin Luisina.”

She looks at Keith and gave him a sour look.  She clung to Lance and refused to let him go.

“Angel?”  Keith asks.

“She’s always liked me.  I don’t know why.  Oh and the big guy walking towards you is mi Tío Juan.”  Keith looks over a little too late as Juan picks the poor boy up and began to throw him.  “He likes you.”

“TELL HIM TO PUT ME DOWN!”  Keith shrieks.

“You tell him.”

“WHAT DO I SAY?!”

“ _ Más alto… _ ”

“ _ ¡MAS ALTO!  ¡ALTO! _ ”  He screams, Juan threw him higher.  Keith’s shrieks turned into angered screams.  “YOU ASSHOLE THAT MEANT HIGHER!”

“Aren’t you a pilot?  Aren’t you suppose to be immune to heights?”

“I’M NOT IN CONTROL!”  He shouts, Lance laughs and got his Uncle’s attention.

“ _ Bien bien Tío Juan ya ha tenido suficiente. Ponlo abajo. _ ”  He said.  Juan puts Keith down and pats his head.  Keith punched Lance’s arm, Luisina pulls Lance closer.  She glares at Keith still.

“So this is my whole family.”  Lance began to speak.  “All of them came from Cuba.”

“These are a lot of people.”  Keith comments.

“Well duh, I’ve told you before I have fifteen cou-”  Juan grabs Lance and began to throw him, Lance continued to talk while Juan was throwing him.  “-cia only has Clet- -so I’m sure I’ll have more cousins and soon Che- - will become a Mom sometime soo- - and maybe we’ll- -nish by then but for now just gue- - and then maybe you can talk to them-”  Keith had no clue what Lance was trying to say, he was just watching Lance getting thrown in the air like it was nothing.

Luisina was freaking out, she wanted her older cousin back.

“ _ ¡El Tío Juan puso a Lance! ¡Papi Papi! _ ”  She got her father’s attention.  Lalo looks over.

“ _ No puedo controlarlo. _ ”  He looks back at the TV.  Luisina groans and jumps at Lance, Juan kept throwing him.  Lance didn’t mind getting thrown.

Keith wanted Lance back because too many people he didn’t know.  He rushes over to Sarah and points at Lance.

“What do I say to get him to put Lance down?”

“Princess!”  She hugs Keith.  “When did you get here?”

“Uh… maybe ten minutes ago?  Not important, what do I say to get your Uncle to drop Lance?”

“What do you want to say?”  She asks, Keith looks over.

“Put Lance down!”

“ _ Baja a mi novio. _ ”  She said.

“I didn’t hear “Lance” in that!”  Keith hissed.

“Is Spanish your first language?”  The eight year old sassed.  Keith pouts, she had a point.  Keith rushes over and said it quietly.

“Um…  _ Baja a mi novio… _ ”  Juan didn’t hear Keith, he kept throwing him to tease Luisina.  Keith said it louder.  “ _ B-Baja a mi novio. _ ”  Still nothing, he shouts.  “ _ ¡BAJA A MI NOVIO! _ ”  Everyone froze, it became painfully quiet.

Sarah broke out laughing, she tricked him.  Keith looked up with confused puppy eyes.

“D-Did I say something wrong?”  He asks.  Juan drops Lance, he landed with a thud and a grunt.   All eyes were on Keith, he felt like he said the wrong thing.  Finally Carmelo shouts.

“ _ ¡Ese es Keith! ¡El tipo del que nos habló la Abuela! _ ”  Everyone surrounded him and tried to say hi, he panics and clung to Lance.  He was practically whining like a scared puppy.  Lance laughs and held his arms up to get his family’s attention.

“ _ Bien, ¡ya basta! _ ”  He shouts.  “ _ Lo estás asustando. Keith no le sirve a tanta gente a la vez, Dale un poco de espacio. _ ”  He tells them, everyone just stares at him.  Rosa began to shout at her kids.

“ _ ¡Le has oído, Dale un poco de espacio al chico! _ ”  She says, the all backed off a bit.  She squirms her way through and looks at the scared boy.  “You okay Keith?”  She asks in somewhat broken English.  He nods.

“I’m fine.  Just a little startled.”  He says, Rosa looks at Lance for translation.

“ _ Sólo está sorprendido. _ ”

“Ah.”  She nods.

“ _ ¿Les contaste lo de Keith? Parecen muy entusiasmados de conocerlo. _ ”  He asks, Rosa nods at her grandson.

“ _ Sí. Les dije que conociste a una “princesa” aquí en América. _ ”  She teases, Lance groans.  Keith looks at the two trying to comprehend what they’re saying.  It was hard since they were speaking so fast.  He wonders if he’ll ever get it down.  Rosa and Lance kept talking.

“ _ Todo el mundo estaba emocionado de saber que tienes un novio, ya que es de América y todo. Así que querían llegar a conocerlo. Sabes cómo se dan cuando se reúnen con nuevos miembros de la familia. _ ”

“ _ Pero no necesitaban rodearlo. Apenas habla español, no sabe cómo responder. _ ”  Lance told her.  She just points at him, he groans.  “ _ ¡No quiero traducir para todos! _ ”

“ _ Lástima. _ ”  She walks off, everyone looks at Keith like they wanted to talk to him.  They all surrounded him again asking him questions.  Keith just clung to Lance in fear, way too many people.  Lance only laughs.

“You wanna get married, then get use to this.  This is your future family.”

“No thanks!  Your siblings are enough!”  Keith said in a panic.  They all laughed, except Keith… he was still freaked out.

* * *

“So you met his entire family?”  Shiro asks when Keith got home.  Keith reached for a chocodile in the cupboard and walks back.

“Yeah, every single person.”  Keith said.  “Isabella has five siblings, each of them married and have their own kid.”  Keith took a bite and looks at Shiro.  “Fifteen cousins.  How can someone stand being in a family that has twenty five people?!”  Shiro was with Keith, that’s a lot of people.

“And look who’s gonna be apart of that mess.”

“I can barely remember everyone’s name!  How does Lance remember everyone?!”

“Cause they’re his family Keith.  I think family is important with those guys.  Also I’m sure if we had cousins we’d remember them.”

“I’d hate every single one.”

“No you wouldn’t.”  Shiro said.  “Plus you’re like a cat, you hate everyone.”  He teases his brother, Keith lightly pushes Shiro and went back to eating.  Allura walks in and waves at them.

“Hello boys, what’s goin- YOU HAVE CHOCODILES?!”  She snaps.  Keith looks at her and slowly took a bite.  She walks into the kitchen and broke their cupboard again.

“Stop doing that!”  Shiro runs in.  She took the box and held it close.

“Don’t you hide shit from me.”  She pouts.  Keith looks back.

“Damn, there goes our chocodiles.”  He comments.  Shiro glares at him and walks back in the living room.

“So back on topic… is his family going to his graduation party?  Cause if so… all of Allura’s family is coming plus twenty five people… the cafe’s gonna be a tight squeeze.”  They heard choking behind them.

“What?!”  Allura shouts in horror.  “More people?!”  She grabs her purse and runs out.  “I’ve got to go see Isabella!”  They watch a panicked Allura run out.  Keith looks over at Shiro.

“The cafe is pretty big.”

“You wanna place to sit?”

“Yes.”

“Then no it will not be big.”

* * *

Keith told Pidge that Lance’s family from Cuba came over, as expected Pidge wanted to see them.  Keith failed to tell her how many people there were so…

“What the hell?!”  She panics.  Everyone looks over at her.  They were confused by the sudden stranger, then they ignored her and went back to doing whatever.  Lance runs over to them with a questioned look.

“Hey Pidge, what are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see what your family is like, who the hell are these people?!”

“They are mi familia.”  Lance said.

“All of them?!”

“Yes, all of them.”

“Dude!”  Pidge starts.  “I have nine cousins all together!”

“Wow… that’s small.”

“No, that’s average.  THIS!  This isn’t average!  This is taking average and beating it with a stick!”  Pidge shouts.

“ _ ¿Qué es lo que grita ese niñito? _ ”  Lalo shouts at Lance.  Lance looks over and points at Pidge.

“ _ Esta es una chica, Tío Lalo. _ ”  He says, Lalo raised an eyebrow.

“ _ ¿De qué está gritando? _ ”  He asks.

“ _ Dice que esta familia es demasiado grande. _ ”  That got Alejandro to laugh.

“ _ Wow, ella es inteligente. Dile que merece una recompensa. _ ”  He said sarcastically.

“I heard sarcasm.”  Pidge pouts.

“He says you’re smart and you deserve a reward.”

“Tell him he can shove it up his ass.”

“Okay.”  Lance said calmly.  Pidge panics, she did not want to tell him what she said.  “ _ Tío Alejandro, dice que te lo metan por el culo. _ ”  That got him to laugh even harder.

“ _ ¡Me gusta esta chica! ¿Quién es ella? _ ”

“ _ Ésta es mi amiga, Pidgey. _ ”  Lance said with a smile.  Pidge waves.

“Um… It’s Pidge.”  She corrects.  Alejandro said something in Spanish to all his family, they look back at Pidge and wave.

“ _ Hola Pidgey. _ ”  They all shout.  She nods.

“Y-Yeah, hola.”  They all walked in and sat down somewhere.  Lance was on the floor leaning against the couch.  Keith joins him and curls into his side, still uncomfortable with so many people.  Pidge saw no available seats.  She did not want to sit on the floor… even that was taken up.

“Oi Sam.”  She calls.  Sam looks up from his phone.

“Yeah?”  He asks.  She walks over and sat on his lap.

“You’re now my seat.”  She said.  Sam was a mix between embarrassed and annoyed.

“I am not a seat!”

“I don’t see any other available seats!  You are now a seat!”

“Sit on the floor!”

“No room their either!”  She leans back into him and looks at everyone.  “Damn this is a lot of people.”  She looks over to the side and sees a boy smirking at them, seriously what’s with the smirk, they all have it.  “What’s this guys deal?”  She asks, Sam looks over and groans.

“ _ Sal de aquí Curro. _ ”  He says.  Curro chuckles.

“ _ ¿Es una novia? _ ”  He asks.  Sam hid his face, he wouldn’t look at Curro.  “ _ Te estás poniendo rojo mi amigo. _ ”

“ _ Déjame en paz. _ ”  He groans.  Pidge was so lost in the conversation.

“ _ Es linda. ¿Pidgey era su nombre? _ ”

“Actually it’s really Katie.”  Pidge said.  “And my nickname is Pidge.”  Curro didn’t understand her at all.  “Where the hell is your mom?”

“In the back.  Allura’s here and she wanted to talk about the party… since twenty five others are joining.”  Sam said.  She nods and leans her head against his.

“You’re a good seat.”

“Five seconds before I kick you off.”

* * *

At the cafe Allura and Isabella were planning on how to set it up.

“How many people were coming from your side?”  Isabella asks.

“Well my father, my Aunt and Uncle, my cousin… he’s sure to bring his friends along… and that’s it.”

“So we take out I think two of these tables here, and make a long one for food over here and we’ll be good.”

“You sure?”

“Knowing my family, they won’t know personal space.  They’ll try to talk to everyone.”

“Alright.  If you say so.”  The two walk out of the cafe, now they think this’ll go well.  Hopefully.


	59. Party for Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SOOOOO SORRY!!! I was caught up in Christmas and college is putting me on probation so I have to deal with that. Also other things. God I am so sorry for the delay, I just couldn't find time. :(

Lance looks at himself in the mirror in the bathroom.  He puts his hat on and sighs, finally.  He’s gonna graduate.  He felt his robe rustle around, he unzips it, Rico stares at him with a bright smile and giggling.

“What are you doing?”

“Youz a wizawd Lances.”  He said.  Lance picks him up and walks downstairs.  Isabella runs over crying.

“My baby!”  She says with tears.  “Look at you.  My eldest child graduating.”  She sniffs.  “Oh I bet Rebecca is looking down right now smiling.”  That got Lance to smile, his sister probably is proud of him right now.  He hopes she is anyways.  “Now, let’s go!   _ Todos, síganme _ .”  She tells her family.

They all got out and drove to the high school.  Everyone was walking around in their robes and hats.  Pidge found Lance and clung to him.

“Sup.”

“Hey.”  He looks at his robe.  “White is an odd choice for robes.”

“So?”  She asks.  “You actually look good in white so quit your complaining.”

“Please.  I make everything look good.”  That got Lance a whack on the head.  Isabella came in and told them to get together for a picture.  Lance grabs her shoulder and smiles with her.  “You want me to find all my friends?”

“Yes yes!  Go go go!”

“I know where Hunk is.”  Pidge said.  They both ran off to find Hunk.  They saw him and Shay both taking a selfie together.  Lance waves him over.

“Come on Hunk, we’re getting a group shot.”  He said.  Hunk nods and went with them.  Keith was standing in the K section leaning against the wall looking tired.  Pidge grabs his arm and yanks him towards the group.

“What are you doing Katie?!”

“Group photo come on!”  She says.  They all got into a position.  Keith leans against Hunk with his arms folded across his chest.  Hunk smiles sweetly holding up a peace sign, Pidge clung to Lance’s back and posed.  Isabella smiles at the picture.

“Okay now let’s get you two together.”  Isabella points at Keith and Lance.  Lance groans.

“No Mamá, you have plenty pictures of us.”

“ _ No discutas conmigo. Ve a estar junto a tu novio. _ ”  She says.  Lance walks over and grabs Keith.

“Come on  _ Cariño _ .”  He said in a tired voice.  Both boys smile at the camera.  When she was done Lance pulls out his phone.  “Selfie time.”

“Aw man really?”

“Yes.”  Keith put his sleeve in his face as soon as Lance took the picture.  “Keith come on.”  Lance whines, Keith started to chuckle.

“You got your picture.”

“Please!”

“You got a picture.”  Lance pouts.  Keith looks over and points in a random direction.  “The M’s are over there so just follow the line until you see-”  He heard Lance’s camera go off, he quickly looks back at him.  “Hey!”

“You’re pretty.”  Lance said while admiring the picture.  

“Did you just take a random picture of me?!”

“Yes.”  Lance held up the photo.

“Don’t do that!  I hate it when someone takes a photo of me-”  Another one.  “STOP IT!”

“Make me.”  Lance said with a smile.  “M’s are down there?”  He asks, Keith glares at him.  “Okay, thanks.  See ya later, love ya.”  He ran to the M section.  Keith pouts and walked back to his spot.

* * *

They all sat down and waited to go up.  First person to get their diploma that they knew was Shay.  Her last name was Balmera.

Next was Hunk.  He walks up and quickly left, scared out of his mind.  Pidge runs up when her name was called and shouts.

“I’M OUT OF HERE!  WOAH!”  She runs down, the teacher handing out the diplomas was laughing.

Next was Keith, when they said his name Lance’s family cheered for him.  He hid his face and walked up to the principle.

“Do you know them?”  He asks while whispering.

“Sadly.”  He walks down.  Shiro, Allura, and Coran were looking at the family and laughed.

“I’m guessing that’s Lance’s family.”  He said.

“What makes you think that?”  Allura laughs.  Lance got the same treatment, his family cheered for him.  He waves at them and walks down happily.  He looks at his diploma with a smile, he did it.

They got through everyone and said we did it.  They all threw their hats then after that they all went around to find their hat.  The class was full of I think that’s mine and no that’s mine and I hope the person wearing this didn’t have lice.

Lance ran back to his family and hugs them.  They all cheered and gave him a big group hug.  Keith walks up and shows Shiro and Allura with excitement.  Pidge held hers up with pride while Matt took it from her.  Hunk’s parents smiled and pat his back.  All in all a good day.

* * *

After that they all went to the cafe.  Lance and Keith’s party was after the ceremony and it was packed.  They set their diplomas down and talked with the whole family… well Lance did.  Keith stood around awkwardly.  All the women were in the kitchen getting food set up.  While Lance was with his cousins Keith picked up his diploma and laughs.

“Really?”

“What?”  Lance looks at him.

“Lance Charles McClain…”  He teases his middle name, Lance’s face grew red and he chased after him.

“ _ ¡Devuélveme eso, cabrón! _ ”

“Your middle name is fucking Charles!”  Keith laughed as he ran.

“Shut up!”  Lance caught up and took the diploma back.  He puts it back down and points in anger.  “Remind me why I love you.”  He hisses.  Keith smiles and kisses his cheek.  Lance pouts.

“Got ya~”

“Shut up.”  They got everything ready, the party has started.  Keith was surrounded by Lance’s family, and Lance was trying to take a lot of food while Isabella smacks him.  Hunk and Pidge walk in and see everyone.  Hunk was shocked.

“That’s a big family.”

“Yeah.  Imagine this in a tiny house.”

“Oh God.”  Hunks eyes were wide.  The two find their friends and the all group hugged.  Pidge was curious and looked at pictures while Hunk took some food.

“Wow Lance.”  Pidge spoke up.  “Nice pink dance suit.”

“Hey I looked good.”  Lance said.  Pidge looks closer at the pictures.

“It doesn’t leave room for the imagination.”

“ _ ¡La pervertida! _ ”  He hits her head, she squeaks then laughs.

“Well I’m saying you’ve got a lot.”  She says then gives a sly smile.  “You’re gonna make Keith scream.”  Lance chased her around cursing in Spanish and smacking her head.  She laughs as she ran.

Keith pretends he never heard that and walked over to the food.  He stares at it and points at something Isabella made.  A mother knows what her kid is asking, even if they don’t speak.

“ _ Cerdo asado. _ ”  She answers.  Keith looks at it with a raised eyebrow.  Shiro walks up and takes some.

“What’s this?”

“Grilled something.”  Keith answers.  Shiro took a bite and nods.

“Pork.”

“Oh.”  Keith took some and looks at all the food Isabella has made, it was all from her home country so if you weren’t in her family you had no clue what it was.  Lance walks up and sighs.

“I finally silenced Pidge.”

“How?”  Keith asks.  Lance points at all his little cousins and his two siblings tackling her screaming “ _ ¡Ataquen a los Pidgey! _ ”.  They could hear her screams.  Keith chuckles.

Moments later Shay runs in and hugs Keith and Lance. 

“Isn’t this exciting?”  She asks.  “Finally out of school and into the real world!”

“I guess.”  Keith said.  Lance walks behind Keith and wraps his arms around his waist.

“We graduated.  Now you’re going to go back to school.”

“God damn it never ends.”  Keith said.  Lance laughs and kisses his boyfriend’s cheek.  They heard Pidge yell in the distance.

“Stop being gross!  BACK YOU MONSTERS!”  They tackled her down again.  The three laugh and went back to talking.

“This food is so good, but different.  What is it?”

“It’s mi Mamá’s cooking.”  He says.  “It’s all from our home country.”

“Oh… Mexican?”

“No.”  Lance groans in Keith’s shoulder.  Keith laughs at him.

“He’s from Cuba.”  He says.  “Lance get out of my shoulder, your glasses hurt.”  Lance refused to come out.  “He’s a big baby when it comes to where he’s from.”

“Not a Mexican…”  He whines.

“She knows now.”  Keith said.  Shay giggles a bit and looks around.

“Where’s Hunk?”  She asks.  Keith and Lance point in a random direction.  He was talking to Juan.

“ _ Luego destripas el pescado para que sólo salga la buena carne. Nunca comer el pescado crudo, una vez mordido en un hueso de pescado... es asqueroso. _ ”

“I don’t understand!”  Hunk whines.  Juan continued on what he was talking about.  Lance groans.

“Oh my God is he talking about fishing again?”  He asks.  Keith chuckles, apparently it’s a common conversation.

“I’ll go save him.”  Shay walks over.

“Godspeed woman.”  Lance said in a done voice.  Shay walks up and pats Hunk’s shoulder, he saw her and hugs her.

“He keeps talking to me and I have no idea what he’s talking about.”  He says in a scared voice.

“Have you tried speaking English?”  She asks.  Hunk shook his head.  “Well I’ll try.  Hello I’m Shay, I’m Lance’s friend.  It’s nice to meet you.”  Juan gave her a blank look.

“ _ ¿Quién es esta señorita? ¿es tu novia, Grandote? _ ”  He asks Hunk, he was still lost.  Keith was laughing while Lance groans.

“Shay my family doesn’t speak any English!”  He says.  Shay sighs.

“Okay I took Spanish for three years.”  She says in determination.  “ _ Hola, mi nombre es Shay. Este es mi novio Hunk, somos amigos de lance. Es un placer conocerlo, Señor. _ ”  She introduces herself.  Juan nods.

“ _ Ah, te enseñan español en estas escuelas americanas. Necesitas aprender a no ser tan torpe con tus palabras Shay. Encantado de conocerlos a ambos por el camino. Me alegro de que mi sobrino tenga buenos amigos. _ ”  He says with a smirk, Lance groans in the background.

“ _ ¡Tío Juan, se amable! _ ”

“ _ Estoy siendo amable. _ ”  He complains back.  Isabella looks at his from the table.

“ _ ¡Juan no me hace venir y abofetearte! _ ”  She shouts.  He smirks at her and bats his eyes.

“ _ ¿Qué vas a hacer hermanita? _ ”  He teases, she pouts.  Rosa was next to one of her kids and points at her son.  That shuts him up, the whole family saw that and laughed.  Shay was confused.

“Who is that woman?”  She asks Hunk, he shrugs.

“Rosa told you Juan!”  Keith says.  Juan flips him off, Rosa walks over and smacks him.

“ _ ¡Eres un hombre adulto, Juan, actúa de tu edad! _ ”  She snaps, he whines as she smacks him.

“ _ ¡Wah, Mamá! _ ”  He squeals.  Shay nods.

“Oh that’s their mom.  Lance’s Grandma…”  She says to Hunk.  He nods and looks over at Keith.  He was pointing and laughing at Juan while Lance’s face was buried his his shoulder laughing.

Later Alfor came in with Haggar and Zarkon.  Allura came up and hugged her father.

“Hello Father, Aunt Haggar, Uncle Zarkon… please tell me your son isn’t here.”  She deadpans.  Zarkon points behind him.  He looks around with a smile on his face.

“Hello Allura, where’s the other two?”

“Leave them be, they’re having a good time.”  She hisses at him, Lotor rolls his eyes and walks towards the food.  Zarkon looks back at Allura.

“How have you been dear?  You look like you’ve gained some weight.”  He comments, Allura huffs, her Uncle was blunt.

“Yes I have, don’t need to judge.”  She says, Alfor noticed too.

“You need to watch what you eat.”  He saw her plate of food, it was full.  He takes it from her, she whines.  “No Allura, you need to watch it.  This is what’s making you big.”  He says.

“Father please!  I’m starving right now!”  She whines.  Alfor didn’t listen, he kept the plate away from his whining daughter.  Haggar takes the plate from Alfor and hands it to Allura.  “Thank you.”

“Honerva, why did you take that?”

“She’s pregnant you moron.”  She says.  Alfor’s jaw dropped, he stares at his daughter in disbelief.  Allura looks to the side all innocently.

“Oh what’s going on over here?”  She made an excuse to walk away.  Alfor chased after her.

“Allura is your Aunt correct?”

“Hey Shiro wanna talk to my father?”  She asks, Shiro quickly got up and ran off.  She chased him.  “GET BACK HERE AND HELP ME!”

“You’re on your own!”

“YOU SELFISH BASTARD!”  Lance and Keith watch them leave.  Keith groans while Lance chuckles a bit.

“I don’t know them.”  He says.  Lance looks at Keith.

“They’re family Sweetheart, gotta claim them as yours.”  He says in a sweet voice.  Keith looks back at them, they were running around outside, even Alfor was out there.  He looks back at Lance.

“Can I get a new family?”

“Nope, not how it works.”  He smirks.

“Damn… why are you still holding me?”

“Cause you’ve got good hips.  I just wanna hold this sexy body close.”  He said flirtatiously.  Keith chuckles and looks at him.

“I’m gonna stab you.”

“I cannot compliment you can I…”

“Nope.”  Keith turns around and wraps his arms around Lance’s neck.  He gave him a quick kiss.  Pidge yells from the group of children.

“Quick being gross!”  She shouts.  “Attack my minions!”

“ _ ¡POR LA PATRIA! _ ”  Sarah shouts.

“ _ ¡POR LA PATRIA! _ ”  The rest of the kids shout.  They run at Lance and Keith.  Lance squeals and picks Keith up.  He runs from the violent kids.  Everyone was watching the two run from the violent kid army.  He drops Keith and kept running, they kept chasing Lance.

“Yay!”

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!”  He squeals.  He kept running till someone caught him.  He looks up and sees Lotor smiling at him.

“Hello again Lance.”

“Uh… hi?”  Not this again…  Lance got out of his grasp.  The kids didn’t want to get involved so they chased Keith, he screams and runs from them.  He didn’t notice Lotor.

“So you’re finally a graduate.  How does it feel?”

“Feels different…”

“Doing anything after this?”

“Work here.”  Lance told him, Lotor smirks.

“I’ll be sure to come over often.”  He flirts, Lance looks around.  He waited for a certain someone to see this and freak out.  Someone grabs his waist.

“What’s going on here?”  Keith growls.  There it is… Lance groans knowing it’s going to get worse.

“Just talking to Lance, is that bad?”

“Yes.”  Keith nods.  “Beat it.”

“As rude as always.  Can’t seem to share him with anyone.”  Lotor says.

“Oh I share him, I let others see him.  Talk to him, hang out with him, others can have his attention.”  Keith says with a smirk.  “Just not you.”

“Why not?”

“You serious?  I’m not answering that.  Just leave my man alone.”  Keith says and drags Lance away.  Lotor gave a raised eyebrow, Allura walks back and laughs.

“You are never getting him.”

“Shut up.”  He hisses.  He stops and looks at her.  “Weren’t you running from Uncle Alfor?”

“I was… can you hide me?!”  She asks, Lotor groans.

“As much as I want to watch what happens when he catches you… follow me, I know where to hide.”

“You are the best cousin ever!”

“I’m your only cousin.”  He reminds her.  He leads Allura to the cupboards and helps her hide in it.  Isabella and Rosa were watching with confusing eyes.  “Hello ladies.  Allura is hiding in here, don’t give her away.”

“O-Okay?”  Isabella said.  She told her mother what they were doing and the two walked out.  Soon enough Alfor came out to find his daughter.  Coran was trying to calm him down, Shiro was hiding with Matt.  Matt was being horrible trying to give his friend away.

“Where is my daughter?”  He asks random guests.  Most of them didn’t know what he said.  He found Lance and Keith, Keith was still holding Lance and refused to let go.  “You two where is Allura?”

“Um…”  Lance looks up at Alfor.  “I have no clue.”

“I saw her running away from you.”  Keith stated the obvious.  Alfor groans and walks around.  Coran walks up and gave them a thumbs up.

“Just keep her away from him.  He’s not happy that she’s pregnant.”

“Why?”  Lance asks.  “Most people would be happy to hear that their kid is starting their own family.”

“Is Allura married?”

“No.”  Lance shook his head.  It clicked for both boys.  “Oh…”

“Nice going Shiro.  You knocked up your girlfriend before you married her.”  Keith teases, Shiro flips him off with his prosthetic arm.  Keith chuckles and hides in Lance’s neck.  The two boys walk away from Coran, he went back to calm Alfor down.

Alfor walks into the kitchen and saw Lotor eating some chips.  He looks at Alfor with a bored look.

“Can I help you?”  He asks.  Alfor wasn’t buying Lotor’s calm demeanor.

“My daughter, where is she?”

“Don’t know, don’t care.”  He says and keeps eating.  Alfor raised an eyebrow and points at the cupboards.

“She’s in there isn’t she?”  He asks, Lotor didn’t change expression.

“Why would you assume that?”

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice the pots and pans lying around?”  He asks, Lotor’s eyes grew wide.  He slowly opens the cupboard.  Alfor walks up to see them.

“HE KNOWS!  RUN WOMAN!”  He grabs Allura’s arm and the two ran from Alfor.

“YOU TWO GET BACK HERE!”  Alfor chases after the two.  Shiro watches them run off, he was sitting with Haggar and Zarkon.

“It’s nice to see those two getting along again.”  Zarkon said.  Shiro raised an eyebrow.

“They got along once?”

“Once.  They were best friends when they were little.  I guess since Allura was older the two drifted apart.  So seeing them like this-”  The two were still running from Alfor.  “-is bringing back good memories.”

Shiro smiles at that, it was a nice story.  Also Lotor was occupied so Keith wasn’t in a bad mood.  In fact he was having a nice time hanging out with everyone.  Keith was wrestling with some of the kids while Lance was watching.

“Down you go!”  Keith yells as he pins one of the kids down and proceeds to tickle them, the child giggles and runs away.  Lance walks up and smiles.

“This is a great party so far.”

“You say that means something is going to go horribly wrong.”  Keith comments as he stood.

“WOOHOO!”  A screeching voice came from the middle.

“Aw…”

“Told you.”  Keith said and they both looked at what made that cheering noise, they knew damn well it was Pidge but they didn’t know what she was so excited about.  Pidge was laying across Sam’s lap and points forward.

“ONWARD SAM!”  She says, Sam looking done with her shit.

“I’m not a ride.”

“ONWARD!”

“No.”

“YOU’RE BORING!”  She snaps.  “MOVE SCRAWNY!”

“You cannot make me.”  He smiles sweetly.  She pouts at him.  Keith sneaks up behind them then runs and began to push them with great speed.  The two screamed in fear as they were pushed.  Keith lets go and watches the two get launched off.  Allura, Lotor, and Alfor run by when they got pushed, they hit Alfor causing the other two to escape and hide.  Everyone laughed, Lance points with Keith, both dying on how perfect that was.

“ _ La mejor fiesta de la historia. _ ”  Lance says through laughter, Keith nods in agreement.

“Yeah, it sure is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not the end...


	60. Camping and Criminals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for not posting. School has just started for me and now I'm focusing on homework and all that. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten this. I'll try to be quick with chapters, promise!  
> Also this chapter is suppose to be goofy so have fun.

“Road trip!  Road trip!  Road trip!”  The four chanted in the truck that Keith borrowed from Rolo, tugging a big camper behind them.  Keith gave his friends the crazy idea to go camping on their first official week as high school graduates.  He found Rolo and learned that he had a truck, an old one at that, that would be perfect to tote a camper.  How Keith got the camper, they didn’t know.

“So where are we stopping?”  Lance asks sitting in the passenger seat.  Keith looks at the gps on his phone then back at the road.

“It’s a little forest area my  _ Sofubo _ took Shiro and I to before they passed away.  I’ve only been there two times so I had to get directions from Shiro, that and he had to put it in the gps for me.”  Keith says.  Pidge waves at Hunk who was filming everyone and spoke to the two up front.

“How much longer?  I hate being in the back like this.”

“Quit being such a little princess.  We’ll be there soon.”  Keith says.

“Yeah, just so you boys know I hate outside.  I’m probably going to live in the camper.”  She says, Keith looks over at her.

“Come on, being outside is fun!”  Keith complains.  “I enjoyed camping when I was little.  Being outside, exploring everything, taking pictures of things that were cool… loosing my camera to some homeless drunk who appeared on TV later…”

“That doesn’t sound fun at all!”  Lance says.

“I met a criminal!  That was awesome!”

“ _ ¿Cuál es tu definición de genial? _ ”  Lance asks his excited boyfriend.

“What’s yours?”  Keith asks.  “Trust me when I say that where we’re going has a history.”  He says with a smirk, all his friends didn’t trust him.

* * *

They drove up to a forest area with so many trees it looked like jungle.  Everything seemed fine till Lance noticed a sign that didn’t look too good.  If living in America has taught him anything is that you always read the red signs, and they usually meant danger.  He couldn’t read the bold english fast enough but lucky for him there were two languages below it and one happens to be spanish.

“ _ ¡Advertencia! No entren bajo órdenes policiales. _ ”  He read out loud.  Pidge sat there not caring while Hunk panicked.

“Nope nope Keith turn back, this place is an illegal area.”

“Strange… the gps lead us right here… I remember this place so I’m not lost.”

“Baby this place doesn’t look safe.”  Lance whines.  “Let’s go back.”

“We’re already here though.  And we drove for six hours.”  Keith argues.  He spots a place they could park and stops everything.  “Okay we’re here and I’m not changing my mind.”

“Oh great…”  Lance got out and stretches.  Hunk got out and looked around, Pidge hops out and looks at Keith.

“Sooooo this place has a history?”

“It said that a police station is near here and criminals come up here to hide.  Bad ones too.”  They heard the car door shut and they looked back to see Hunk sitting in there with fear written all over his face.  They ignored him and walked into the camper.

“So where are we all sleeping?”  Lance asks.  Pidge spoke up.

“Can we make a rule that you two not share?”  She asks.  Lance and Keith give her a confused look.  “I know you two ain’t pure!”  They both froze in embarrassment.

“Are you serious?!  You think we’d do that with you two around?!”  Lance asks, Pidge gave a blank face.

“All I know is Keith wouldn’t care and you’d be a bottom.  A really noisy bottom.”

“Why you- I would not!”  Lance pouts.  “I’d only be noisy if he was doing a real good job.”

“And you assume I’d be horrible?”  Keith asks.  Pidge waves her hands like a madman.

“See?  You both are already discussing it!  No sharing!  I don’t want to see awkward boy sex!”  She says.  Keith and Lance gave in to her little request.  They didn’t mind not sharing for a while.  Plus it would make both Pidge and Hunk more comfortable.

Hunk walks in and plops down on the bed.

“This thing is awesome.”

“I guess Hunk gets bed.”  Lance said, Keith and Pidge nod.  Hunk smiles at his friends and lays back down.

“I have such nice friends!”

“Yes you do.”  Pidge said, she saw Keith sit on the couch and smile.  “Dirty rat stole the couch.”

“Dammit.”  Lance looks at the table.  He smiles.  “I call this!  I know it turns into a bed!”  He says.  “Though I’ll have to watch the cupboards.”

“Oh those are like a bed too.”  Keith said.  “I use to sleep in those.”

“Sweet!”  Pidge climbs in the cupboards and shuts the door.  “No one sees the wizard.”  She says.  Lance chuckles sits at the table while everyone relaxed.  He heard fire emblem music from the cupboards, he opens the cupboards and gave Pidge a ‘really?’ face.

“Don’t judge me.”

“You couldn’t survive a week without your DS?”

“Hunk brought his phone!”

“We all brought our phones.”  He said.  She pouts and shuts the doors again.  “You better be outside when we all go out.”

“No promises.”  She says.  Lance got Keith up to help him with the table.  They made it into a bed and the four fell asleep.  Pidge was the last one to fall asleep.

* * *

Lance woke up the next day to find Keith trying to start a fire in the fire pit he made.  He pouts and kept trying to start it.

“Morning Sweetheart.”  He kisses Keith’s head and pulls out a chair.

“Mornin.”  He says not looking away from what he was doing.  The fire started, he smiles proudly and stood up.  “I am fire god!”  He says happily as he threw his arms up in victory.  Lance chuckles.

“ _ Todos saluden al Dios del fuego. _ ”  He says.  Keith started to laugh.  The two sat down and watched the fire grow.  “So sleep well?”

“Yeah.”  Keith nods.  “So who’s gonna drag Pidge outside?”

“I’ll try.”  Lance said.  “I have little siblings, I know how to wrestle.”

“You just want an excuse to wrestle with Pidge.”  Keith said with a smirk.  Lance giggles and kicks his feet against the ground.

“Her screams are funny.”  He says.  Hunk walks out and sits with them.

“Hey guys.”

“Hi.”

“Morning Hunk.”

“So what’s for breakfast?”  Hunk asks.

“Dunno.  What sounds good?”  Keith asks the two.  They shrug.  “Go ask the woman, she’s picky.  She’ll decide for us.”  He said, Lance smiles and ran inside.  He’s been waiting for this.  The two watch him scurry in.

He opens the cupboards and yanks her out.  The two heard her screeching from outside.

“PUT ME DOWN BOY!”  She yells, Lance was laughing while dragging her out.  He runs out and smiles at the two while holding a pissed off Pidgey.  “Who sent scrawny out to wake me up?”

“He wanted to wake you up.”

“EVIL!”  She starts to smack his head, he giggles and holds her upside down.  She just dangles there.  “I will headbutt you in groin if you don’t put me down.”

“Yeah right.”  He snickers.  “Don’t make empty thre-ACK!”  Pidge didn’t make an empty threat, she headbutts Lance.  He drops her and held his stomach, trying to walk to his chair.  Both boys laugh at him.  “You’re evil incarnate.”  He says in pain, she hisses at him.

“Man am I lucky to have you all as friends.”  Hunk says with a smile.

“Not me…”  Lance said while “dying” on the ground.

* * *

Keith runs up the trail as fast as he could and smiles.

“Man this is awesome!  I haven’t been outdoors in forever, feels so good to get back out here and run around!”  He says happily, Pidge climbing right behind him wheezing and sweating up a storm.

“Screw Mother Nature!”  She flops on the ground.  Keith looks down at her.

“Giving up already?”  He asks.  “Come on Katie, there is this giant log hanging around here and it’s awesome!  I use to climb in it all the time and find hedgehogs!”

“I’m not moving anymore.”  She says.  Keith shrugs.

“Your loss.  Hurry up you two!”  He calls to the others.  Hunk was in the same state as Pidge while Lance was walking with him because Hunk was still scared of the place.  Keith walks ahead, Lance saw Pidge and groans.

“Are you serious?”

“Carry me.”  She requests as she held her arms up.  Lance gave in and carried her.  They made it to the log Keith wanted to sit at and smiles.

“Yay!”  He takes his camera out and takes pictures.  “At night, Shiro and I would come here and stargaze.  Then  _ Ojīchan  _ would yell at us for coming up here.”

“Who?”  Lance asks while laying Pidge on the ground.

“ _ Ojīchan _ .  My grandpa.”  Keith says.  “I told you that my  _ Obāsan _ and  _ Ojīsan  _ use to take Shiro and I here all the time to camp.”

“Your grandparents?”

“Yeah,  _ Sofubo. _ ”  He nods.  Lance quirks an eyebrow.

“Why are you using another language?  I shouldn’t be asking this but why?”

“Oh, my Dad’s parents weren’t use to grandma and grandpa so Shiro told me to call them  _ Obāsan _ and  _ Ojīsan _ .  Heck my Dad always called them  _ Okāsan  _ and  _ Otōsan _ .”  Keith said.  “Like how I called my parents Appa and Eomma, and you call Isabella Mamá.”

“I don’t need a language lesson right now!”  Pidge yells.  Hunk smiles.

“I call my dad Papi.”

“Aw.”  Lance comments.

“WHY CAN’T YOU ALL SPEAK ENGLISH?!”  She shouts in anger.

“ _ Porque el inglés es un lenguaje confuso y lo odio. Tal vez usted debería aprender español, se habla mucho más en todo el mundo y los hispanos como yo lo apreciamos cuando alguien habla nuestro idioma. _ ”  Lance says, Pidge shrieks and starts beating Lance with a stick.  “AH!  I CARRIED YOUR SORRY ASS UP HERE!   _ ¡MOCOSO DESAGRADECIDO! _ ”  He runs from the abusive child with a stick.

Keith and Hunk watch the two run around screaming.  Hunk films while Keith takes a few pictures.

“This is going better than I expected.”

* * *

The group sat by the fire for the rest of the day.  Lance would throw nuts at the fire and watch them pop.  Keith would talk to Hunk who was filming him, he was talking about all the things he’s found and took photos of while he camped.  Pidge was playing on her DS.

“I took a picture of two hedgehogs sleeping when Shiro and I went up there once.”  Keith explained.

“Aw, can I see them?”  Hunk asks, really wanting to see cute, cuddly hedgehogs.

“I’ll have to find my photo album, it’s at home though.”

“Darn.  What else did you do here?”

“Hike, swim, watch rain, make smores, and tell stories.  We have a week to fill and a lot to do.  But since you guys gave up after one hike I have a feeling we aren’t going to be doing much.”

“Sorry we’re not built like you.”  Pidge comments.

“I was fine.”  Lance says while throwing another nut in the fire.  Pidge gave him a look.

“Yeah and you’re in shape as well.”

“Aw you remembered my hot body?”

“Yeah, I do.”  Pidge smirks.  “Hunk and I are out of shape people who’d rather sit around and build stuff.”

“Yep that’s up my ally.”  Hunk said happily.  The two laughed, Keith looks at Lance and shrugs.  The two love to move, more less Lance can’t sit still at all.  The group kept messing with the fire till night.

* * *

The next day they found a playground and decided to run around like they were five.  Lance and Keith raced each other up the slides while Pidge jumped on the bridge whenever Hunk tried to walk across it.

“Katie please!  I don’t want it to break!”

“Calm down Hunk, it’s a strong bridge.”  She says in a happy voice.  Hunk whimpers in fear.  They heard a thunk then a groan, they peek over and saw Lance laughing at Keith who slipped on the slide and fell.  He glares at Lance and ran up the slide.

“Oh no.”  Lance said before running for his life, he ran across the bridge, passing both Pidge and Hunk, and runs back to the forest.  Keith right after him.

* * *

Pidge and Hunk sat by the fire waiting for the other two to come back, it was getting dark and they still weren’t back.  Hunk took out hotdogs and began to cook them over the fire, Pidge copied him and the two sat and watched the fire.

“So how’s life?”  Pidge asks.

“Decent I guess.”  

“How’s Shay?”

“Shay told me she was going out of state for college to become a therapist.  So we’re going to try long distance.”

“Oh.”  Pidge said.  “How does it feel being with someone?”

“Different I guess.  I mean, I don’t know.  It’s weird to describe it.  How about you find someone and try it yourself.”

“Problem is no one likes me.”  Pidge said while watching her hotdog catch on fire.  “Also I’m going to college, not a lot of people my age there.”  She sighs and lifts her food up, it was burnt.  She stares at it wide eyed.

“Well don’t stare at it!”  Hunk panics, she smiles and held it up in victory.

“REVOLT!”

“Pidge come on, that’s dangerous!  Also someone might hear you!”

“Hopefully those two idiots.”  She says.

“Yeah… speaking of them… where are they?”

* * *

“Face it, we’re lost.”  Lance complains.

“No no we… I just…”  Keith was trying to lead them out, so far no luck.

“We are never getting out of here!”  Lance started to whine.  Keith glares at him.

“Do not start to whine.”

“ _ ¡Oh, siento que nos hayamos perdido! _ ”

“ _ ¡Tú eres el idiota que corrió aquí! _ ”  Keith snaps back.  Lance pouts and looks away.

“ _ Tú eres el que nos hace caminar en círculos. Idiota. _ ”

“Oh zip it!”  Keith said.  “If you hadn’t run in the damn forest, we wouldn’t be in this mess!”

“You shouldn’t have chased me!”

“Don’t laugh at me!”

“ _ ¡Tienes mal genio! _ ”

“And you’re a fucking drama queen!”

“ _ ¡Eres un idiota, te odio tanto! _ ”

“Hey I’m trying to get us out of here!  What are you doing to help?”  Keith snaps.

“ _ Llamándote como eres. ¡Un idiota con problemas de enojo! _ ”

“I’m not an idiot!  You shut up if you’re going to be useless.”  Keith said in a cold tone, they kept walking in the dark.  Lance held himself and mumbles.

“ _ Está oscuro y no trajiste el teléfono. Eres idiota. _ ”

“You didn’t you bring yours either.”

“MINES DEAD!”

“Aw… and how is that my problem?”  Keith asks in a sickeningly sweet tone.  Lance went back to pouting.

“ _ Cuando volvamos no estoy hablando contigo. _ ”

“What’s stopping you now?  I wouldn’t mind the peace and quiet.”  He teases, Lance pushes him and kept pouting.  “Hey I’m joking.”

“You’re mean and I’m freezing.”

“Hey I’m cold too.  I have a feeling we’re almost back.  Just trust me.”

“ _ ¿Confiar en ti? Estamos perdidos por tu culpa. _ ”  He mumbles.  Keith pushed him for saying that.

“Or we can sleep out here.”  Keith said.  “That would be fun, right?”

“No, I wanna sleep on a bed.”

“Aw where’s your sense of adventure?”

“I’m not like you, I like to sleep somewhere comfortable.”  Lance said.  “ _ Está sucio aquí, y podría haber osos. _ ”

“Come on it’d be fun!”  Keith sounded like he really wanted to sleep outside.

“You can sleep outside if you want, I’m not joining you.”  Lance said, Keith smiles and got closer.

“We’d be all alone~”  He said in a low voice, Lance slowly looks at him.

“No.”  He pushes Keith away.

“No one would see us.”  He got closer, Lance started to laugh.

“A big fat no!”  He says through laughter.

“Come on, it’ll be fun~”

“You fucking pervert!  No!”  Lance said while pushing him again.  “Not losing my virginity in a fucking forest.”

“It’d be quite the story though-”

“For the last time no!”  Lance was still laughing.  Keith grabs his waist.

“You’re boring.”  He says with a smirk.  “Let’s have a little fun~”  Lance pushed him off still laughing.

“No!”  He ran ahead, Keith smiles and chased him.  He caught up and tackled Lance to the ground and the two laughed.

“Oh hey you’re back.”  They looked up to see their friends sitting by the fire watching them.  “What going on?”  Lance wiggles out from under Keith, he tried running away but Keith got up and grabs him again.  Lance laughs.

“No, goddammit!”  He says through fits of laughter.  “Guys help!  He’s being dirty!”  He says.

“No I’m not.”  Keith kisses Lance’s neck.  Lance squeals like a girl and tried getting out of Keith’s strong grip.  Pidge and Hunk both looked at each other and went back inside the camper, leaving the two outside.

* * *

The next day they found a pond that was closer to the camper.  So no one got lost this time.

Pidge chased Lance in the water, trying to swim next to him.  Though he moved like a mermaid and was way too fast.  She bobs out of the water and looks at Hunk who was sitting next to the water.

“I cannot keep up.”  She says, Hunk raised an eyebrow at her.  He had no clue what to tell her.  She saw Keith was floating on his back.  She saw Lance right next to him, he had a shit eating grin on his face.

Before he could do anything Keith grabbed him without looking.  He wrestled Lance in the water.  Pidge started cheering.

“Fight!  Fight!  Fight!”  She says while Hunk filmed it.

After that mess they all went back.  Lance looks at all the junk that got on him.

“Ew… I didn’t mind seaweed and salt water back home…. But what is this shit?”  He asks, Keith looks at him.

“It’s garbage.”

“Yuck, I’m taking a shower.”  He says.  Pidge ran ahead.

“Me first!”

“NO I CALL FIRST!”  The two ran ahead.  Keith and Hunk look at each other.

“You wanna go ahead of me?”  Hunk asks.

“Sure.”

* * *

That night the four decided to tell scary stories by the fire.  Pidge took out snacks to make smores, her and Lance made smores while Hunk curled up as Keith told his story.

“Then the poor child looks outside of his house dead at night.  He sees something looking at him from across the street.  A woman looking at him with blacked out eyes and a wicked smile.  So he shuts the curtains so he wouldn’t see her anymore.”

“Then what?”  Lance asks while putting a cooked marshmallow on the chocolate and graham crackers.

“Then… he locked the door and went to bed.”  Keith stood up and smiles.  “But as he laid in bed he heard a creak, it got closer.  And closer…”  He got closer to his friends.  “It stopped at the edge of his bed, he heard breathing.  He asked ‘hello?’  … nothing.  ‘Who’s there?’ he asked.”  Keith smiles.

“Then he comes out from under the blankets…. Nothing.”  Everyone sighs and relief.  “He turns around and … the lady… was right… HERE!”  He yells at Hunk and lunged at him, he screams.  Everyone jumps.

“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!”  Hunk asks in fear.  Keith laughs wickedly and sat back down.  Lance and Pidge were holding each other.

“Thanks a lot Keith, now no one is going to be able to sleep!”  Lance says.  Keith bats his eyes innocently and took a marshmallow.

“Lighten up you guys, it’s only a story.”  He began to roast it.  “You guys got something?”

“I have one, but it’s not as creepy as the scary lady in someone’s bed.”  Lance says.  Pidge looks up at Lance, still clinging to him.

“What is it?”

“You wanna hear it?”

“Yeah sure.”

“No please.”

“You’re out-voted Hunk.”  Keith said.  “Tell us your story Babe.”

“Okay.  This is the story of  _ La Llorona _ .”  He says.

“La Llorona?”  Pidge asks, Lance nods.

“The story goes as this.  It happened in Mexico but I know the story all too well.”  He was getting into his role.  “Kids must not go out at night or  _ La Llorona _ will catch them.”

“Who is La Llorona?”  Pidge asks.  Lance lets go with a smile.

“She is a woman who’s name was Maria, she fell in love with a man and had a family with him.  However he found a younger woman and married her, in anger Maria killed her kids and then herself.”

“But at night, by the water.  You might see a woman, walking in all white.  She will see you alone and cry…  _ ¡Ay, mis hijos! _ ”  He said quietly.  “And she’ll TAKE YOU AWAY!”  He grabs Pidge, who shrieked.  Hunk and Keith sat there feeling a slight chill.  “And that’s why you don’t walk alone at night.”  He says with a smile.

“Dude, I’m gonna start hearing things.  Thanks a lot.”  Hunk complains.  Lance smirks and snuck up behind Hunk and yells.

“ _ ¡Ay, mis hijos! _ ”  Hunk jumps when Lance shouts that.  He pushed his friend, who then proceeded to fall over due to Hunk’s strength.

“Jackass.”

“Love you man.”  Lance says as he stood up and sat next to Pidge again.  The four decided to talk about happy things till they had to go to bed, Hunk did not sleep that night.

* * *

The following day they went on a hike again, Pidge got sick of it and walked home.  They all follow her and stayed at the camper.  At night Lance curls up on the bed and tried to sleep, he heard something tap the window near his head.  He looks up and sees the window, he looks out and sees something sitting on their chairs, it turns and looks at him.  He squeaks a scream and went under the window, Pidge pokes her head out.

“What are you screaming about?”

“Something is out there.”

“What?”

“Someone is out there-ACK!”  A pillow hit his face.

“Shut up.”  Keith grumbles and lays back down.  Lance quickly got up and locked the door and lays on Keith.  He groans and looks at Lance.  “What the hell?”

“Someone is out there watching this camper.”  He squeaks.  Keith raised an eyebrow.

“What?”

“Go outside and check.”  He says.

“No, what if someone is out there.”  Keith said.  “You go check if you’re so curious.”

“I’m not curious, I am scared.  Also you’re the Alpha so you do it!”

“Oh use it when it’s convenient.”  Keith grumbles.  Despite being mad he got up and walked towards the door, Lance peeks out behind him and sees nothing.  “Wow… way to wake me up.  I’m going back to bed.”  He walks back to the couch and goes to sleep.  Lance shuts the door and lays with him.

“I refuse to be alone.”

“And I am literally a foot away from you.”

“I’m staying with you.”  Lance curls against him and tries to sleep, it was peaceful till the four woke up when they heard a knocking.  They all look at the door, Pidge pokes her head out of the cupboard.

“Uh… is everyone in here?”  Hunk asks.  Everyone looks at Hunk then back at the door.  The four all jump to the couch and sat together.  They were beyond scared.

Lance slowly got up and looks outside, he saw someone was sitting on the chairs again.  They waved at him.  Lance shrieks and shuts the door.

“Okay someone is sitting on the chairs.”  He squeaks.  They saw someone knocking on the window, a person was wanting in.  They kept trying to get in, all four of them were thinking of what to do.

“Did you say criminals came out here to hide?”

“Yeah.  I’ve met one.”  Keith said.  He looks around and sees the window on the other side of the camper.  “Okay I have an idea.  Pidge go close the curtains, Lance keep the door’s locked, Hunk help me open this window.  I’m gonna sneak out and drive away.”

“Leave us?!”

“No the camper is still attached to the truck.”  Keith said.  Pidge closed the curtains and Lance used all the other locks.  The knocking grew louder.

Keith and Hunk knocked the window open and he hops out, grabbing his mother’s knife he snuck around to the truck.  He saw the camper was still attached to the truck.  He runs to the door and quickly unlocks the drivers side.  He locked again and started it up, seeing someone now banging the door of the passenger side.

He panics and drove off like a madman.  His friends fell on the floor due to the turns and sat there awkwardly.  Knowing Keith he won’t stop till they were home… so those three were stuck in the camper for now.

* * *

The next day Lance was sitting at home with Keith leaning next to him.  Rico had the TV on the news while he played with plastic dinosaurs.  Sarah came in and hands the two a bagged popsicle.  Keith quickly at his and puts the plastic bag on the ground, Lance kept the bag in his mouth and sucked every last drop of juice.

Isabella walks in and sat on the chair next to the two on the couch.

“So how was camping?”

“Uh… quite the trip if ya ask me.”  Lance said.  The spokesperson talked about someone that police found.  Isabella looks over, a man was found on the side of the road, someone who escaped prison.  They showed a picture, Keith shrieked and clung to Lance.

“Is that him?”  Lance asks.  Isabella looks at the two in surprise.

“What happened to you two?”  She asks.  Keith didn’t respond, he just clung to Lance in fear.

“... we met a criminal.”


	61. ¡Fuegos! ¡Fuegos!

Lance messed with Sam until he woke up, his younger brother glares at him.

“What do you want?”

“Good morning sunshine~”

“ _ Mataré tu feo trasero si me despiertas de nuevo. _ ”  He hissed and goes back to bed, Lance smiles and hops down.  He walks downstairs, the July heat was making the house uninhabitable, Lance hates it.  He made it down and sees Sarah sitting upside down with Rico, a fan blowing in front of them.

“What are you two doing?”

“Letting all the blood rush to our heads.”  She says, Rico giggles and smiles at him too.  Lance sat next to him and copied them.  Isabella walks in and sees her kids goofing off.

“What the heck you three…”  She sighs.

“Join us.”  Lance said, Isabella walks to the chair and hangs upside down with her kids.  Sam crawls down moments later and sees what his family was doing.  Instead of questioning them he sat upside down in his wheelchair and hangs with them.  The whole family letting the blood rush to their heads because why not.

Keith walks in and sees everyone hanging upside down, he was very confused.

“Uh… what are you guys doing?”  He asks.  Sarah and Rico shot up.

“Princess!”

“Kei Kei!”  The two kids run to Keith and hug him.  No matter how many times he comes over those two will always get excited and greet him like they haven’t seen him in years.  He smiles and hugs the two back.

“Hey there, what are you all doing?”

“Blood in head.”  Rico said happily.  Keith chuckles and looks at the two.

“You’re all trying to get the blood rushed to your heads?  Why?”  He asks.

“Don’t tell us how to live our lives.”  Sam said.  The older boy walks over and spins Sam in his chair, Sam starts panicking in a deadpan voice.  “No… stop… Keith-I’MGONNAFALL!”  Now he shows emotion, Keith laughs and stops.

Sam flops on the floor, a loud thunk followed.  He groans, laying on his stomach.  Sarah walks towards him and helps him up.

“Be careful  _ hermano _ , you could damage your heart monitor.”  She reminds him, he groans and got back in his chair.

“Yeah, I know.  It just dug into my chest.”  He held his monitor, rubbing the skin around it.  They heard the older two flop down, Lance got up gracefully, Isabella slowly got up and cracked her back.  She brushes her redish-brown hair out of her face and looks at Keith.

“What are you doing here  _ mijo _ ?”  She asks, Keith gave her a questioning look.

“I need a reason to come here?”  He had a point, he comes over all the time.  “I just came to see if Lanky Loser over there wants to hang out with our friends.”  Lance gasps.

“How dare you call me that!”  He says in full offense.  Keith smirks and looks at him.

“You coming or what?”

“What are we doing?”  He asks as he got up.

“Allura wants everyone to meet up at the mall.”  Keith said.  Lance groans, he didn’t want to move, the heat makes him want to be a slug in his house.

“Fine let’s go.”

“Uh… might wanna change first.”  Keith said.  “I don’t think you should go out in just a tank top and boxers.”  He nudges his hip against Lance’s and smiles.  Lance pouts.

“Fine, I’ll be back.”  He walks upstairs, Keith walks to the couch and sat down.  Sam notices what Keith was wearing and had to ask.

“Dude how are you wearing black skinny jeans?!”  He asks, Keith looks at him and answers.

“I’ve lived in Altea for almost seven years.  I’m use to it’s horrid winters and boiling summers.  I thought you could handle it seeing you’re from Cuba.”

“We had a beach back home.”  Isabella said.  “Now we have a broken deck and dead grass.  Nothing to help cool off.”  She walks into the kitchen and comes back out with a soda.  Sam reaches for it pathetically.  Isabella was greedy and would not share.

“My coke.”

“Share.”  He whines.

“You can’t drink soda anyways.”

“Like hell!  Also it’s diet!”  He complains, she wasn’t giving in to her son.  Keith scrunches up his nose in disgust.

“I hate diet soda, tastes awful.”  He messes with Sarah’s hair, she smiles and lets him.

“Diet is better for you.”  Isabella said.

“No it’s not, and it tastes like shit.  If I want coke then I’ll take an original coke, not that crap.”  He had a few hair ties on his wrist and pulls one off, putting one in Sarah’s hair.  He gave her a braid.  She looks at it and giggles happily.

Lance comes down and grabs Keith’s arm.

“Come on, let’s get out of here.  I’ll be back later.”  He says.  Keith waves to them.

“Bye everyone, quit pulling my arm.”

“See you later  _ mijo _ .”

“Bye Mamá.”  Keith says, with that the two were out the door.

* * *

Keith was not kidding when he said everyone would be at the mall.  All of their friends were there.  Pidge, Hunk, Shiro, Allura, Coran, Matt, and Lotor were all hanging around in the outside plaza waiting for those two.  Keith waves at them, Lance right next to him.

“Got him.”

“Good.”  Allura said.  “Now follow me everyone, I’m starving.”

“Of course you are.”  Shiro comments.

“Hey, unlike all of you I have a second body to take care of.”  She sasses to him and kept walking.  They walked into a restaurant that was on the same road as the mall and was busy as ever.  Full of teens, young adults, and young parents with kids, and old people filled the entire place.  They were lead to a table and began to talk and hang out.

Shiro and Matt were talking about work, Coran was discussing his old home to Pidge who was actually listening.  Lance and Allura were playing some clap game and were trying to see how fast they could do it.  Hunk filmed them, and Keith and Lotor were having a civil conversation for once.

They ordered their food and all went back to talking, finally Allura spoke up so everyone could hear her.

“So I was thinking we all go out to my father’s home and set off fireworks.  Everyone can come along and hang out on the fourth, what do you say?”

“Sure if I can bring  _ mi familia _ .”  Lance said.  Allura nods happily.

“Yes, I love talking to Isabella.  Bring all of them.”

“Can I invite my friends?”  Lotor asks.

“As long as they don’t cause trouble.”  She teases her cousin.  He smirks at her.

“No promises.”  The two chuckled, that laugh proved that they were related.  Keith looks at Shiro happily, they haven’t celebrated since the accident.  Now they have a giant family to celebrate with.  He felt excited.

“Do we all go down early?”

“Yes, celebrate all day and night.”  She says happily.  Everyone cheers happily, people glared at their table.  Even after that news they were still loud and obnoxious.

* * *

As soon as Lance told his family about Allura’s idea everyone was on board.  Isabella began to text Allura, god help her she was speaking Spanish.  Sam was excited, then wondered if fireworks are a good idea.  Sarah and Rico were just excited cause it’s explosions and fire and snacks, what more could a kid want.

Allura told everyone who was going the time to meet up and where to meet up.  Everyone agreed and got ready, they couldn’t wait.

* * *

They all lugged Sam into the van, he gave out that morning and was now complaining.

“Stupid body, stupid weak ass heart, stupid chair.”  He mutters while Rico and Sarah buckled his wheelchair down in the back.  Lance got the front.  “I hate this.”

“Quit your whining Sam.”  Lance said.  “Your body gives out, it happens.”  Lance went back to the passenger seat and sat next to his mother.  He cleans his glasses off and sees the world without dirty glasses.  Isabella got in and drove down to the apartment where everyone was meeting up.

Everyone was sitting around waiting for the others to get there.  There was one car and a bike, the McClains got out… almost all of them and talked to everyone.  Sarah was kind enough to open the door so Sam could interact with the others.

Sarah ran around to talk to everyone while Rico ran up and hugged Allura’s leg.  Sam was bored and watched cars go by.  Isabella watched her kids run around, staying close to her immobile boy.

Coran was petting the bike while Keith was trying to sit on it.  He smiles, Coran gives him a helmet with a moustache design on it.  Lance hops on it and pretended to drive off, Keith pushed him off.

“My turn on Coran’s bike.”

“No!  I want on!”  Lance says.  Keith sat on it, Lance got on behind him and hugs him.  “Take me away my prince!”

“Vroom vroom!”  He says, the two laughed.  Allura and Shiro laughed.  Isabella spoke up.

“ _ Lance, ¡Sal de esa bici ahora mismo! ¡Romperás algo y tendré que pagar por ello, y no tengo dinero! _ ”

“Aw Mamá.”

“Now.”

“ _ No eres divertido. _ ”  He pouts and got off, Keith sticks his tongue out and teases him.

“You too Keith.”  She says, Keith pouts and got off like Lance did.

“ _ No eres divertido. _ ”  He copies.  Before she could say anything another car pulled up, Matt comes out looking horrified.

“THAT WOMAN IS NUTS!”

“I’m so sorry!”  Hunk whines.  “Be glad my Papi was there.”

“He had a hard time holding her back!”

“My Dad is severly sick, he did a pretty good job holding her back!”

“Crazy woman.”  Pidge mumbles as she climbed out.  “ _ Hola McClains. _ ”  She waves, Isabella waves back.

“ _ Buenos días Pidge. Es bueno verte, ¿cómo estás hoy? _ ”  She asks, Pidge stares blankly at her.

“Yeah… I only know hello…”  She admits, Isabella laughs.  She walks up to Lance and climbs on his back, he groans.  “Sup.”

“I thought we’d ended this in High School!”

“Never!”  She laughs evilly.  She notices Sam sitting down trying to move his hands, she made Lance walk up to him.  “Hey bud, what’s up?”

“Great.”  He says sarcastically.  Pidge hops down and held her hand out.

“Good to see you again, high five!”  She says happily.  He gave her a look.

“Uh… I can’t…”

“Yeah you can.”  Took his hand and slaps it.  “Yeah!”  He mouths ‘ow’ and tried shaking his hand.

“So everyone is here?  Great.”  Allura said.

“Great!”  Rico copies.  She smiles and picks him up.

“Now I’ll drive, you’ll all follow.  Coran knows the way as well so if you lose us then follow the man on the bike.”

“Alright.”  Matt said.

“ _ Comprendido. _ ”  Isabella gave her a thumbs up.  Everyone splits off.  Allura, Shiro, and Keith in one car.  Matt, Pidge, and Hunk in the other.  The McClain’s in a van, and Coran on a bike.  They all lined up and drove off to Alfor’s big house.

* * *

“Alright I’ll start.  A.”

“Man.”

“Died.”

“Keith quit ending the story so soon.”  The groups kept connected through phones.  They used Keith’s, Hunk’s and Lance’s.  Coran was keeping touch through bluetooth but he was just listening in.  They were playing a game where you say one word at a time and make a story, though Keith sucked at it cause he kept ending it.

“OKAY I’LL START!”

“Coran you don’t need to shout.”  Allura reminds him.

“I’M SORRY BUT I’M ON A BIKE, I HEAR A LOT OF WIND SO I FEAR YOU DON’T HEAR ME!”

“ _ Te oímos fuerte y claro. _ ”  Isabella said.

“OKAY!  HOW ABOUT I START THOUGH, ONCE!”

“Upon.”  Pidge said.

“A time.”  Matt said, Pidge slaps her head when she heard her brother use two words.  “Oh shit sorry…”  

“A.”  Hunk continued.

“Man.”  Allura said.

“Went.”  Shiro said.

“To.”  Keith said.  “This story sucks.”

“The.”  Lance said.

“ _ La tienda _ .”  Isabella said.

“To.”  Sam said.

“Buy.”  Sarah said.

“Guns.”  Rico said.  Everyone slowly looked at him, or their phones, depending on which vehicle you were in.

“This story got way more interesting.”  Keith comments.

“Uh… And.”  Matt continues.

“He.”  Pidge said.

“Goes.”  Hunk said.

“To.”  Allura said.

“The.”  Shiro said.

“Store.”  Keith smiles.  Shiro and Allura glare at him.

“And.”  Lance said.

“Then.”  Isabella said.

“He.”  Sam said.

“Says.”  Sarah said.

“Money.”  Rico said happily.  Everyone was quiet except for Keith, who was laughing.

“Rico, I love you so much!”

“Then.”  Matt continues, the cycle goes on.

“The.”

“Cops.” 

“Came.”

“And.”

“Barged.”

“In.”

“And.”

“The.”

“Man.”

“Shot.”

“Rico what the hell?!”  Lance asks.  Rico giggles, he thought it was funny.  Isabella groans, her baby was causing issues.

“Okay someone restart.”

“Aw, it was getting interesting.”

“I AGREE!”  Coran agrees with Keith.

“I’ll go.”  Allura said.  “One.”  The cycle starts again.

“Night.”

“A.”

“Girl.”

“Went.”

“Out.”

“To.”

“A.”

“Lake.”

“And.”

“Finds.”

“A.”

“Um… fisherman…”  Shiro didn’t know what to add.

“Who.”

“Was.”

“Fishing.”

“For.”

“Um… fish.”

“You don’t say.”  Isabella teased her son.  “He.”

“Sees.”

“The.”

“Girl.”

“And.”

“Yells.”

“Um… ar!”  Keith shouts.  Everyone laughs.

“What is he?  A pirate?”  Shiro had to ask his brother.

“I panicked!”  Keith shouts in embarrassment.  “Let’s play something else!”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know, I spy?”

“No I refuse to play that game with you!”  Lance protests.

“Why not?  Sounds fun.”  Hunk said.

“He uses big words that normal people don’t know!  Everyone in this car will have no idea what he’s spying!”

“I spy something somewhat… viridescent.”  He says, Lance screams on his side.  Isabella looks at her phone in confusion.

“ _ ¿Qué coño es  _ viridescent _? _ ”  She asks in anger.  All her kids shrug, everyone was confused.

“DID HE SAY VIRIDESCENT?!”  Coran asks.

“Yes.”  Everyone responds dully.

“OH!  IS IT THE GRASS?”

“Yes.”  Keith said.

“Say green!  Jackass!”  Lance shouts.

“I did.”  Keith teases.  Lance pouts.

“Okay I’ll go again.  Coran can’t look much.”

“THAT’S A GOOD IDEA!”

“I spy something… velutinous.”  He says happily.  Everyone groans.  Matt was snapping his fingers.

“I’ve heard this word before!  God what is it?!”

“Y’all give up?”

“No way!”  Matt shouts.

“Yes.”  Everyone else said.

“Okay, it’s the clouds.”

“ _ ¿Cómo significa eso nubes? _ ”  Lance shouts.

“ _ ¡Podrías haber dicho fluffy! _ ”  Sarah comments.

“Okay I’m going now!”  Isabella snaps.  “ _ ¡Yo espío algo duro y gris! _ ”  Everyone panics.

“God, someone translate please?”  Matt asks.

“Nope, suffer!”  Lance shouts, all the McClains laughed at them.

“Ah… Keith translate!”  Allura said.

“I don’t know!”  He was just as lost.

“Road.”  Lance comments.

“Correct.”  Isabella said.

“Yeah!”  The McClains cheered.

“Cheaters!”

“Not cheating.”  Lance sassed.  The whole van laughs again.

“We had no clue what she said.”  Pidge comments.  “That’s not fair, you bilingual assholes.”

“ _ ¡Aprende a hablar español, malos perdedores! _ ”  Sarah was just as sassy as her brother.

“ _ ¡Cinco hermanas altas! _ ”  Lance shouts, they high fived each other.

“ _ Todos ustedes chupan. _ ”  Keith comments.  The whole van bursts in laughter.  They sang a victory song in spanish to annoy the others.  Everyone else groans, accept Coran, he thought it was funny.

* * *

They all stopped in front of the house, Allura hops out and runs to greet Alfor.  Everyone else files out.

“Father!”

“Hello sweetheart.  How are you?”

“Great!”  She says.  “Now if you’ll excuse me… have to pee, have to pee!”  She runs into the mansion.  Shiro and Keith walk out and greet him, he shakes Shiro’s hand and pats Keith’s shoulder.

“It’s good to see you both again, how are you all?”

“Great.”  Shiro said.

“Pretty good I guess.”  Keith said with a smile.  Alfor smiles and pulls them in for a hug.  The two felt awkward but accepted it.

Coran walks out and pats Alfor’s back.

“Good to see you again my friend.”  He says, Alfor nods.

“Good to see you too, Coran.”  He looks over at all the new people.

“You remember them from the graduation party?”

“Um… too busy chasing my daughter and nephew down so… first time.”

“Oh, well come down all of you!”  Coran told everyone to come down.  Matt and Pidge were first.

“Sup man, I’m Matt.”

“I’m Katie, my friends call me Pidge.”  Pidge said.  “We’re friends with your daughter.”

“Uh… nice to meet you both.”

“I’m Hunk.”

“Hello Hunk.”  They shook hands.  Isabella walks out.  “Hello miss, you are?”

“Isabella.”  She says.

“It is nice to meet you.”  He takes her hand and bows, Isabella blushed and took her hand back.

“Oh… a gentleman I see…”  She laughs nervously, poor woman was so use to scary men that she had forgotten that some of them could be sweet.  Alfor laughs, Sarah and Rico run up.  Rico hides behind Isabella, Alfor scared him.  Sarah on the other hand.

“Hi there Mister!  I’m Sarah, and this is Rico!  He’s scared of strangers, especially men!”

“Oh… okay…?  I’m Alfor, nice to meet you Sarah.”  He shakes her hand.  She smiles brightly.  Rico peeks out and stares Alfor down.  “Hello, Rico was it?”  Rico went back to hiding.

“ _ Está bien mi bebé. No te hará daño. _ ”  She picks Rico up and walks towards the group.  Lance got Sam out and met up with Alfor.  Coran gestures to Lance.

“This is Lance.”

“Oh, the boy who works with my daughter.”  Alfor said.  Lance just nods.

“Y-Yeah.”  He was surprised on how tall Alfor was.  He’s the same height as his own dad, which scared him.  “I’m Lance, this is my little brother Samuel.”

“Well it’s nice to meet you both… are you two twins?”

“Why does everyone think that?!”  Sam asks.

“Oh I don’t know, because we look alike?”  Lance said.  “No we’re three years apart.”

“Wow… you two look identical, besides the glasses.”

“You should’ve seen our sister… she looked like us too.”  Sam said with a smile.

“Oh another sister?  Where is she?”  He asks, the two look down.

“Um… she’s…”  Lance starts.  Alfor caught on quickly.

“I-I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine.”  Lance said quickly.  “She’s looking at us right now… probably enjoying the show.”  Lance smiles, Sam laughs.

“Yeah saying that her brothers are idiots.”

“Yep sounds like her.”  They laughed.  Alfor smiles and leads them to the group, they saw their sister gasping at the house.

“ _ ¡Lance, Sam, miren! ¡Es un castillo! ¡Un castillo! _ ”  She shouts happily.  Lance and Sam look at the mansion in shock, Isabella just stood there completely blown away.  Coran walks up to Isabella and quirked an eyebrow.

“You alright my dear?”

“ _ ¿Es aquí donde vive el hombre rico? _ ”  She asks.  Lance walks in and looks around, Sam was just as shocked.  Keith was already on the couch in the main room looking through his phone, he waves them over.

“What kind of house is this?”  Lance asks.  Sam was in so much shock he just looked around the house.

“A mansion.”

“This place is ten times the size of my house.”

“Allura’s room is the size of my house.”

“You live in an apartment.”

“Yeah, still consider it my home.”  Keith said and looked back at his phone.  He lays down and rests his head on Lance’s lap.  Lance started petting him and looks around awkwardly, at least his boyfriend was keeping him calm.

Sarah was spinning around in the lobby giggling, Rico runs in and joins her.  The two got dizzy and fell over.  They recovered and spun again.  Pidge and Matt walk in and stare at everything in awe, Matt sees the two kids and joins them.  Pidge walks towards her friends and sees everyone trying to relax.  Pidge was so awkward in the mansion that she decided to sit on Sam again.

He groans and asks why.  She smiles and gets comfortable.

“Is Keith awake?”  She asks.  Lance looks back down and sees Keith resting his eyes.

“ _ Cariño _ , are you awake?”  He asks, Keith opens his eyes lazily and looks up at Lance.

“Mmmm.”  He rolls towards Lance and rests his eyes.  Pidge laughs.

“That’s cute.”

“Way too cute.”  Lance teases.

“Mm nt cute…”  He mumbles.  Everyone chuckles and lets Keith rest again.  The others were walking around looking at everything.  Except for the three who were spinning around in the lobby.  Alfor was showing Isabella around, Coran following behind.  Shiro was watching his friend spinning with children, Hunk finds his friends and sits on the floor.

“This place is way too big for me.”  He says.

“Yeah, you’re telling me.”  Lance said.  “This guy right here seems comfortable.”  He scratches behind Keith’s ear and laughs when he saw Keith react in a positive way.  He smiles and looks at Lance.  “You’re like a cat.”

“Mmmm.”  He rests his eyes again.  Allura comes back out and feels relief.

“Much better.”  She sees her friends and walks up to them.  “You all seem to feel right at home.”

“Not really.”

“Eh don’t worry, we’ll be outside mostly… Are you tired Keith?”

“Mmmmo.”  He mumbles.  Lance chuckles and pets him again, he smiles and curls up more.  Allura walks to the chair that was close by and slouches in it.  She sighs and relaxes, rubbing her stomach as she sinks in the chair.

“Jeez how tired are you?”  Pidge asks.

“Oh quiet, I had to run to the bathroom and walk back here while being the size of a small planet.”  Allura sasses off.  “And now I’m becoming moody and hate everyone.”

“We love you too~”  Lance says in a sing song voice.

“Burn in hell.”  She grumbles, everyone laughed.

* * *

A small, expensive car pulls up and Lotor walks out of the drivers side.  Axca walks out of the passenger side, Zethrid folds out of the back, Ezor flips out and walks out on her hands, and a stick pokes out feeling the ground.  Narti comes out after she got a feel for the ground.  The group walks towards the house and meets with everyone else.

“I cannot believe you actually invited your friends.”  Allura said.

“They like fireworks.”  Lotor said.  Ezor flips back on her feet and runs at Axca.

“Who knew Lotor’s fam was so rich?  First his parents and now his Uncle, crazy right?”  She said, Axca sighs.

“I guess, this place seems a little more… extravagant than Lotor’s home.”

“Home?!  This place is like a castle!  It’s amazing!”  Ezor said as she threw her arms up dramatically, then she looks over at Narti who had fear written all over her face.  “Um… maybe you should stay close Narti.”

Zethrid found the other guests and like always she chased Keith, who still refused to fight the crazy woman.  He knows when he’ll lose a fight, against her he’ll definitely lose.  Lance walks over to the other three and points.

“Guys can you please tell Zethrid to stop chasing him?”  He asks, Narti’s face lit up.  She runs to Lance and feels his face like always.  “Hi again Narti.”

“She really likes your skin.”

“Yeah…”  Lance pats her head and watches Zethrid chase his scared boyfriend.  Pidge comes out pushing Sam and smiles.

“Yo, who’s the chick who’s feeling you up?”

“Lotor’s friend, Narti.”  Lance said, a hand pats his cheek.

“Why you letting her feel ya up bro?”  Sam asks.

“She likes how my face feels.”

“That’s weird.”  Sam comments.

“She’s blind Sam.”  Lance sighs, Narti looks in Sam’s basic direction and waves.  Lance leads her hand towards Sam, she looks down and waves again.  “There ya go.”  Lotor came up and grabs Lance’s shoulders.

“Nice to see you again, Beautiful.”  He says in his usual flirtatious voice.  Lance sighs, it never ends with him does it?

After Lotor and his ban of misfits arrived they began to set up everything outside.  They had a lovely backyard and a lot of space for the kids to run around.  However there were only two kids, that didn’t stop Matt or Ezor.

Isabella convinced Alfor to turn on the sprinklers, once they came to life the teenagers ran out.  Even Sam somehow got a burst of energy and ran through the sprinklers.  Allura walks out and lays in the grass next to a sprinkler, she smiles.

“This feels nice.”  She sighs.  Everyone else ran around like mad men enjoying the sprinklers.

Later on food was ready and that got the lazy woman off her butt.  They all hung around and ate.  Keith looks at Lance and picks at his food.

“I haven’t done this is a long time.”

“Done what?”

“Celebrate the fourth… Shiro and I really didn’t celebrate anymore.  This is nice, I’ve missed this.”

“Well you and Shiro now have a family, a bigger family.”  He gestures out to everyone messing around.  “A big… crazy family.”  Keith smiles and leans against Lance.

“I guess I do.  I’m pretty lucky.”

* * *

“ALRIGHT!”  Ezor runs out with fireworks and other things.  Rico and Sarah were running around with sparklers in the backyard.  Sam had sparklers attached to his wheelchair, Pidge lit them and smirks.

“CHARGE!”  She shouts, he rolls himself at someone.  The person he got to first was Hunk, who reacts by screaming and threatening to fight him with an unlit sparkler.  Lance was spinning one around, Keith and Matt ran at each other and sword fought with them.  Shiro watches with a blank look.

“If you idiots get burnt I won’t feel sorry for you.”

“Let them have their fun.”  Allura said as she ate the rest of the chips.  Everyone was having a good time, hell Ezor abandoned the fireworks and was now dancing a bit with Sarah.  The two looked almost like sisters playing together.  Rico attempts to dance, Lance comes up and joins them.  Everyone else was working on setting everything up.

“Ready for the first one?”  Alfor asks.  They all sat and watched the first one get sent high.  The two kids started jumping and speaking in Spanish.

“¡ _ Fuegos!  ¡Fuegos! _ ”  They shout as they ran around and waited for more.  Alfor and Coran lit a few more.  They shouted again.

“They must really like fireworks.”  Shiro comments.

“Oh yes, all my kids love celebrating this holiday for many reasons.”  Isabella said, Shiro was actually curious about that.

“Really now?”

“Yes, to Sarah and Rico they see it as a fun time to watch the colors in the sky and to play outside under the stars.  To my boys over there, they love it because it reminds them that they are here, in a country they love.”  Isabella smiles.  “We worked so hard trying to get in America, those two remember that and are thankful for being here.”

“Must’ve been a long ride.”  Shiro says playfully.  Isabella just nods.

“Yes.  My life has been an adventure, a hard one, but in the end… I can’t help but smile and be glad.”  She looks at Shiro.  “I must sound like silly old lady to you.”  That got Shiro to chuckle a bit.

“No not really.”  Shiro says.  “I mean I’ve seen a lot too.”

“You’re still young Shiro.”  Isabella pats his arm.  “Though I can tell you’ve been through hell and back… you’ve still got a lot of your life to look forward too.”  With that she walks away to help set up another firework.  “ _ ¡FUEGO EN EL HOYO! _ ”  Her kids chuckled and watched the sky.  It blew up and became a massive firework.

“Woah Mamá!  Did you see that one?!”  Lance asks in excitement.  Isabella laughs and lit another one.  They sent more fireworks high in the sky.  In the yard the kids were playing and messing with sparklers again.

“CHECK THIS ONE OUT!”  Ezor came out with a big firework.  Axca raised an eyebrow at her.

“Ezor is that firework even safe?  Or legal?”

“Relax your pretty little head Babe.”  Ezor teases.  “Besides it’s perfectly safe, why else would they sell it?”

“The same could be said for weed but whatever.”  Axca said in a bored tone and watched.  Ezor lights it and jumps.

“This is gonna be great!”  She says, as she walks back she knocks it over off it’s stand.  “Oh… Oh shit.”  She tried fixing it.

“Ezor.”  Axca sighs.  “Just put it out and reset it, you’ll hurt yourself.”

“I got this.”  Ezor said, though she couldn’t fix it in time.  She drops it as the firework sparked to life and launched itself off.  Ezor screams and fell back, watching the firework go straight into the backyard.  Her screams caught almost everyone’s attention, Keith wondered why she was screaming so he looks over and he stopped breathing.  The firework was heading for...

Rico grabs Sarah’s arm and tugs at her sleeve.

“Sarah, what dat?”  He asks.  Sarah looks over and her eyes grew in size.  She grabs Rico’s arm and runs, then the firework went off.

Everything went silent, the firework was louder on the ground.  The fire it caused made it impossible to see.  Everyone looked in horror, it happened all so fast.  Then Isabella started to scream.  Lance was covering his mouth motionless, too afraid to move.  Sam’s heart stopped, he felt ill.

Keith’s mind went blank, then he screams and ran towards the fire.  Alfor immediately turned the sprinklers on again and put the fire out.  Two little bodies laying on the floor, their skin and clothes slightly burnt.

Keith ran over and turned them both over to see if they were alive, god please say they’re okay.  Isabella runs up moments later with Lance.  Isabella began to beg and held Rico’s arm and weep.

“ _ ¡Mis bebés! ¡Oh Dios, por favor, esté bien! ¡Vamos, Sarah, Rico! ¡ Sólo mantente vivo por Mamá! ¡Mantente vivo por tu Mamá! ¡Por favor! _ ”  Lance got down and checks Rico as Keith took Sarah’s arm.  They all looked down and felt upset, Keith curled into Sarah’s chest and cried.

“Not again…”  He begs.  “Please, not again.”  Another fire, another fucking fire came.  He begs the world, to anyone, he’ll give his own life away if it means these two are okay.  If they’re alive.  Lance was listening for Rico’s pulse while Isabella was still trying to wake both her kids up.

A small cough makes Keith jump.  He looks up quickly and sees Sarah move a bit, her brown eyes open slightly.  She turns and looks up.

“K-Keith?”  She asks.  Keith just stares at her wide eyed, she was… alive.  Sarah was okay.

“Oh thank God.”  Lance says, then they heard another cough, one more violent.  Rico looks around and sees who’s in front of him.  He looked so scared.

“Mamá…”

“ _ ¡Gracias a Dios! _ ”  She scoops him up and hugs him close.  “ _ Oh Rico, Sarah... mis bebés. Estás bien, estás bien. _ ”  She mumbles as she held her baby close.  Rico sniffles a bit and hugs his mother.  Keith still sat there unable to move, Lance noticed him and pats his shoulder.

“Keith… they’re okay.”  Lance held Sarah up and smiles.  “See, they’re okay.”  Keith grabs Sarah from Lance and hugs her tight.  He bawls.

“Princess?”  She asks.

“I-I thought I lost you two.  I-I didn’t want… I didn’t want another fire to take-take someone away!”  He cries.  “I’m so happy you’re both safe!”  They walk back to the group, Sam wheels himself up and took Rico from Isabella and held him close, Sarah hops on as well and joins her brothers.  Ezor was leaning against Zethrid to ashamed to speak to anyone.  Alfor turned the sprinklers off and groans, that was hectic.  Hunk and Pidge were checking on both kids, Everyone else sighed in relief.  That was scary.

“Shiro?”  Lance got Shiro’s attention.  He points at Keith who was curled up into Allura.  “I think you should keep an eye on him tonight.  Might go back a bit.”

“Oh I’m sure he’ll go back.”  Shiro sighs.  “Don’t worry, I’ve dealt with this for almost four years.  I can handle it, plus they’re not that bad anymore.”

“Okay.”  Lance smiles.  Shiro pats Lance’s head and walks off.  They all said their goodbyes and drove off in a group.  On the way back Shiro felt someone touching his arm.

“Yes?”  He asks.

“I-I’m sorry…”

“For what?”  Shiro asks.

“I’m sorry about you only having one arm… I didn’t mean it.”

“Oh boy, please tell me he isn’t far back.”  Allura groans.

“No he’s not that far.  But he probably doesn’t know you at the moment.”

“What are we gonna do now Shiro?  Mom and Dad are gone.”  Keith leans on the passenger side seat and rests his head on his brother’s shoulder.

“Mom and Dad are gone…”  Shiro says.  “Don’t worry Keith, everything will be fine.”

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s not your fault Keith, it was just an accident.  Like what happened earlier, that was an accident.”  He pats his brother’s head, Keith closed his eyes and falls asleep on Shiro.  His brother was all the comfort he had at the moment.  Allura looks over at Shiro.

“You should’ve told Lance the truth.”

“I know, but I didn’t want him to worry.”

“So you lie?”  Allura asks in anger.  “Shiro it’s time to face the facts, Keith’s issue has gotten way worse!  He isn’t getting better at all!”


	62. Life on Hault

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little all over the place but I think it turned out okay... enjoy.

Lance helps all his sister and brother dry off, they had to take a bath to get all the dirt off of them due to that fire.  They had to bandage up their burns and wounds but besides that they were right as rain.

“Okay alllllll dry~”  Lance says happily as he dries off Sarah.  She smiles brightly at him.  “Jeez, you were so dirty I couldn’t see the freckles on your little face.  Boop.”  He pokes her nose, she giggles and hands Lance a brush.

“Put my hair in a braid please?”

“Sure sweetie.  Sam you almost done with Rico?”

“He keeps struggling!”  Sam complains.

“Keep at it.”  Lance starts to brush Sarah’s hair and making a braid.  Thank the Lord Rebecca taught him how to braid.  Sarah made a little noise to get her brother’s attention.  “Yes?  What is it Sarah?”

“Did we scare Princess?”

“Huh?”

“He was crying… was he worried?”

“Of course, we were all worried sweetie.”  Lance continues to braid.  “You know Keith loves you both.  You and Rico mean so much to him.  He about lost it when he saw the fire.”

“Will he be okay?”  Sarah asked.  She turns to look at her older brother, her face completely worried.  “Is he going to forget me again?”  That made Lance stop altogether, he hesitates.

“Sarah… how do you know about that?”  He asks, Sarah looks down.

“When Rico and I went to see him… he forgot me.  Is he going to forget me again?”  She asks, Lance sighs and decided to tell her the truth.

“Sweetie… sometimes Keith forgets where he is at the moment.  He forgets about me all the time.  He always comes back though, he’ll remember you.  He loves you very much.”

“Really?”  She asks, Lance smiles.

“Yes, Lance never lies.”  He reassures his sister.

* * *

Keith was messing with Black while his memory was coming back to him.  The cat was pissed off but he knew Keith didn’t mean any harm from it.

“Shiro who’s cat is this?”  He asks.

“Mine.”

“When did you get a cat?”  He kept messing with Black.  “Good kitty.”  Keith started petting Black, he purrs and lays down.  Allura walks into the living room and sighs.

“He back yet?”

“Slightly.  He doesn’t remember Black.”  Shiro says.  Allura walks in and sat on the other side of the annoyed cat.  She watches Keith mess with the cat with curiosity.  Both say nothing, just let the silence take over.

“How are you Keith?”

“Fine… when did Shiro get this cat?”  He asks Allura.

“Um… I forgot.”

“Aren’t you two like a thing or something?  You should know everything.”  He pouts and goes back to messing with Black.

“Aren’t you his brother?”

“Touche.”  Keith says and sat up.

“You almost back yet?”

“What do you mean?  I’m at home so I guess I’m back.”  Keith had no clue what Allura was talking about.

“How long does it usually take?”  She asks Shiro, he shrugs.

“Sometimes an hour at most, other times all night.  He’ll fall asleep eventually, you live with him, you should know.”  Keith got up and went to the kitchen as they talked.  “It’ll take longer due to the fact it was another fire though.  Must’ve triggered his memory of our parents.  He saw what they looked like when they pulled them out, it scarred him for life.”  He says, the two stopped when they heard something snap and break.

“Shiro when was there a secret door here?”  He asks.  “And why are there chocodiles in here?”

“You bastard.”  Allura mumbles.  “Keith bring me one!”

“I don’t think you should have one, you’ve gained a lot of weight.”

“YOU SHIT!”

“It’s true though.  Maybe you need to see a gym.”  Keith took a bite of chocodile and sat back down.  Shiro sighs and got her one.

“Remember, he doesn’t have any memory of this time.  Give him a bit and he’ll remember.”

“Fine.”  Allura took a bite of chocodile and pouts.  She doesn’t want to wait, she wants him to get better.  But Keith needs time now, he’s seen some shit and brought back bad memories.  Keith needs a break from it all.

* * *

Keith screams and woke up in his room, Shiro ran in and tried calming him down, Allura right next to him.  Keith flailed and tried fighting Shiro’s strong hold, he calms down after a few minutes and realizing he was safe in Shiro’s arms.

“T-Takashi?”  He whimpers.

“I’m here Keith, I’m here.”  He said quietly.  Allura walks to the other side and rubs his arm.

“Sweetie are you alright?”

“I-I saw fire, and I saw two bodies and I thought-”

“It’s fine now Keith.  Everything is okay.”  Shiro says, Allura got closer and held him as well.  The three sat there keeping Keith in a supportive hold.  He leans into them and felt himself calm down.  Finally he relaxes and fell back asleep, leaning against Shiro he dozes off.  The older two stayed a while longer just to regain themselves.  It takes a lot out of you when you have to calm someone else down.

* * *

Keith woke up and walks out to the living room.  Allura was sitting on the couch with a plate of pickles while Shiro was watching coffee being brewed, he looked so bored.  Keith walks in and reaches in the freezer for some waffles.  He takes two out and sticks them in the toaster.

“Morning you two.”  He says as he puts the box back in the freezer.  Shiro waves lazily, Allura makes a strange noise and went back to watching whatever was on.  Keith recognized the man and had to ask.

“You seriously watching Dr. Phil?”

“Sue me.”  Allura said as she took a bite of pickle.  Keith raised an eyebrow and went back to watching the toaster.

“So what are you two going to do today?”  He asks as he watched his brother lazily watch the coffee pot.

“Exist and go see a doctor for her.”  Shiro said.  Allura smiles at Keith.

“Finally going to see if it’s a boy or a girl!”  Allura says.

“Finally we’ll see who will win our bet.”

“Bet?”  Keith asks.

“Matt, Pidge, Hunk and I all bet on the gender.  Matt and Pidge say girl, Hunk and I say boy.  Winner gets a hundred, fifty each.”  He says with a smile.  Allura points at Shiro.

“I still cannot believe that you made a stupid bet like that.”

“Hey, money’s money.”  He smirks.  Keith sat on the counter and gave the same devilish grin as his brother.

“Hope you lose.”

“Get off the counter.”

“Make me.”  He sticks his tongue out, Shiro got up and wrestled Keith onto the ground.  “NO, DAMMIT YOU’RE STRONGER THAN ME!  GET OFF!”

“Heh only one arm and I can still kick your ass!”

“SHIRO!”  The two continued to wrestle in the kitchen.  Allura doesn’t do anything about it, instead she ignores them and keeps watch Dr. Phil.

* * *

Lance walks into the cafe later that day and sees Allura and Keith passing a balloon back and forth.  Allura notices Lance and waves.

“Morning Lance.”  As soon as she says that Keith turns.  “How are Sarah and Rico?”

“They’re fine.  They were more worried about everyone else, they didn’t want to scare anyone.”

“They got hit by a firework.”  She says.  Lance chuckles a bit and nods.

“Yeah, but again they didn’t want to make a scene.”  Lance looks at Keith, he walks over and rests his forehead on his.  “You okay?”  Keith nods slightly.  “You sure?  Sarah’s worried, she told me she doesn’t want you to forget her again.”

Keith messes with the bracelet, playing with the random beads.  He looks down at his wrist with a pained expression.  Lance sighs and presses a small kiss on his forehead.  Keith takes a deep breath and waits for Lance to leave him.  That doesn’t happen, instead he grabs his waist and pulls him closer.

Keith just curled into his side and listens to the other conversation Allura started.

“So I’m going to see what gender the baby is today.”  She says.  Lance smiles happily.

“Oh I can’t wait!  Someone going with you?”

“No, Shiro might but I’m worried he’s going to be stuck at work.  He told me the time and that he’ll make it.  Hopefully he will.”  She says, Lance thought about it.

“How about I go with you.”

“You’d want to go?”

“I went before Rico was born, like a few days before.”  Lance comments.  “I don’t mind, in fact I find it interesting.”

“Okay, nice to know someone will be there.  Keith, you coming too?”  She looks at her brother, he shrugs.

“Why not.”  Keith says, Allura smiles.

“Great, half an hour left.”  She says.  “We’ll have to stop and get a liter of water before hand.”

“Got it.”  Lance salutes, Keith just nods.

* * *

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO WATER?!”

“I COULDN’T FIND IT!”  Keith snaps at the woman while Lance drove.  Keith ran into a small store and he couldn’t find where water was, he swore he asked for help but both knew he didn’t.  Keith can’t talk to people, he’s too awkward.

“So I have nothing?”

“No!”  Keith pulls something out.  “I got you a Mountain Dew.”  She just stares at it while Lance laughed.

“Oh my God, this’ll be good.”

“Eh, they never specified water… down the hatch.”  She takes a huge drink and smiles.  Lance was still laughing.  They got to the hospital and went into the waiting room on the fifth floor.

Lance plays on his phone while Keith was reading a magazine.  Allura was watching the TV while drinking Mountain Dew.  Finally she got done and was called in minutes later, the three walked in and Allura lays down.  The doctor got the gel and pulls her shirt up, Keith has never seen this before so he started asking questions.

“What’s that?”

“Ultrasound gel.”  The doctor said as he rubs it on Allura’s stomach, she shudders at the cold gel.

“What’s it used for?”

“To help with ultrasound waves.”

“Why did she have to drink a lot?”

“To help us see the child.”  The doctor got out the tool to use the ultrasound.

“What’s that?”

“This?  Watch.  I’ll put it on her and…”  He puts it on Allura, she looks at the screen.  “Can you see them?”  The doctor points at the screen, Keith’s eyes grew, Lance was laughing.  Allura seemed shocked.  The doctor looked over at the screen.  “What the-?”

The baby was moving around like crazy, Lance was crying on the floor.  Keith points and had to ask.

“What is it doing?”

“Ma’am what did you drink?”

“Mountain Dew…”  Allura sounded like she did something wrong.  The doctor started laughing.

“The baby is dancing!”  As soon as the doctor said it Lance was far gone.  Keith started to laugh.  Allura looks at Keith.

“He couldn’t find water, this isn’t my fault!”

“I’m glad I couldn’t find it now.”  Keith said through giggles, Allura was starting to laugh.

“Look at what you’ve done Keith!  Look at what you’ve done!”  She snaps while laughing, Lance was still on the ground laughing.  The doctor wipes tears from his eyes and looks at the ultrasound.

The doctor took a few pictures and he smiles.

“Well I’m happy to say that your son is completely healthy.”  He says, Allura looks up with wide eyes.  Keith pulls out his phone and called Pidge.

“You lost your bet.”  He said, everyone could hear her screeching on the phone.  Lance leans in and takes a closer look.

“ _ Hola hijito. _ ”  He says softly, a warm smile on his face.  For the most part it was kind of touching.  Everyone was excited to see it, to see him.  It was sweet, though Pidge’s unholy screeching was kind of ruining the moment.

* * *

Shiro and Matt looked at the pictures, one more happy than the other.

“Pay up Matt.”  He held out his hand.  Matt grumbles and pulls out his wallet, he takes out fifty and pouts.  Shiro giggles like a child and continued to look at the pictures.  Keith had headphones in and was listening to music, Lance was messing with Keith’s hair while listening to Allura talk to Alfor.

“Yes it’s a boy.  No it’s still a ways away.  It’ll be born in November, yes November.  I don’t know what I’ll name him.  Eh I don’t like that name.  No I’m not naming him after Grandpa… hold on.  Shiro!”  She calls to him.

He looks over, waiting to see what Allura wants.  “How does Kale sound?”

“Gay.”

“Okay… … no Kale’s off the table.”  She says.  Lance chuckles.  Keith takes an earphone out and looks at Lance.

“What are you laughing at?”

“Alfor’s suggesting names.”  Lance said and cuddles into Keith’s hair.  “Floofy~”  Keith smiles and went back to listening to music.  Allura kept talking.

“I don’t know about that one… Father the child won’t be born for another four months.  I’m sure Shiro and I can think of a name.”  She says in an annoyed tone.  “Yes, yes bye.  Bye love you.”  She hangs up.  “Someone think of a name.”

“Wang!”

“Someone besides Matt.”

“Um…”  Lance thought.  “Macario.”

“EEY MACARIO!”  Matt sings.

“No.”  Allura said in a bored tone.

“Telmo.”

“Sounds awful.”  She comments.

“Um...Hermenegildo.”

“How do you even spell that?”  Keith comments.

“Lance I want a name for a child, not a disease.”  She says.

“Hugo.”

“Give me a name that’s not spanish, Lance!”

“ _ ¡No me grites, Americana! _ ”  He squeaks, he curls into Keith and glares at the woman.  She rolls her eyes and kept wanting suggestions.  Keith decided not to get involved and cuddles to his pouting boyfriend.  Names were off the table for the time being.

* * *

Lance walks into his home with Keith right behind him, he sees Sarah and Rico playing on the floor like usual.  The kids see him and jump up in joy like usual.

“Hi Princess!”

“Kei Kei!”  They hug him, Keith smiles and got on the ground to hug them.

“Hey you two.”  He brings them closer.  “How are you guys?”  Rico held his arm out.

“Burn.”

“Y-Yeah… burns.”

“Some of my hair is gone.”  Sarah said happily.  “See?”  She held up some of her dead hair, the black tips stood out on her beautiful ginger hair.  She seemed so indifferent to it.

“Uh huh.”  He lets them go and sat on the couch.  Sam sees him and rolls up.

“Sup Kogane.”

“Yo.”  Sam held his hand up for a high five, Keith takes it and gives him a high five.  “How are you holding up?”  He asks, Sam shrugs.

“It’s July, it’s hot, it’s messing with my body.  All in all it sucks, I want an air conditioner in this house.”  That got Keith to laugh.  Lance comes in from the kitchen with a brownie, Sam glares at him.  “Dude, Mamá said not to touch the brownies.”

“I didn’t hear it.”  Lance said with his mouth full.  He held it out for Keith to take a bite, he took the rest of it and smiles.  Lance looks at him with betrayal.  “How could you?!”  He asks, Keith giggles and cuddles into him.  A few moments later Isabella comes back from work and groans.

“ _ He terminado hoy. _ ”  She says as she drops her purse.  “ _ ¿Cómo están mis bebés? _ ”  She asks as she pats Sam’s head.  They all look at her.

“We’re good.”  Lance responds.  “Just exhausted.”

“I hear ya  _ mijo. _ ”  Isabella lets her hair down.  She sits on the other side of Lance and sighs.  She must’ve had a long day.

“It’s okay Mamá.  Just rest.”  Lance lets go to Keith and pats Isabella’s head.  She leans against her son and cuddles into him.  He kept rubbing her head, Keith looks at her and pats her shoulder.

“I feel loved.”  She says in a playful voice, they all laughed.  Keith’s glad that everything is back to normal.  This family just takes the abuse with a smile and powers through it, a sign that they’ve been through a lot.  Keith wishes he could deal with these painful moments the same as them.

* * *

Rico was watching Lance and Isabella cook, trying to help them.  Sarah was playing games with Sam, Keith just watched them.

“Hey  _ Cariño _ , you want  _ medianoche _ ?”  Lance asks from the kitchen.

“What is it?”

“It’s pretty much a warm sandwich.”

“Eh sure.”  Keith says and went back to watching Sam and Sarah.  The other three walk back in with plates, Rico was holding one for himself.  Lance walks over to Sam and hands him one then walks to the couch.

“Here.”  Lance gives Keith a plate.  Keith just stares at it.

“What’s in it?”

“Meat, cheese, lettuce, pickle.”

“Aw I hate pickle.”  Keith opened the sandwich and took the pickles out.  Lance took them and ate them.

“You’re weird.”  He says with a smile, Keith pouts and took a bite of his sandwich.

“Could say the same about you.”  He mumbles while he swallows.  Everyone relaxes and watches the game on the TV.

“ _ ¡Sam deja de hacer trampa! _ ”  Sarah squeaks.

“ _ No estoy engañando. _ ”  He tells her, Sarah kicks his wheelchair to make him lose.  “ _ ¡Ya basta, mocoso! _ ”

“Make me!”

“ _ ¡Samuel, Sarah! _ ”  Isabella snaps causing both of her kids to jump and stare at her.  “ _ ¡Basta ya o voy a apagar ese juego! _ ”

“ _ Sí Mamá… _ ”  Sam turns back to the TV quietly.

“ _ Lo siento… _ ”  Sarah mutters.  They went back to playing quietly, after a half an hour Sarah wanted to play a different game.  She held up  _ Just Dance _ with a smile.

“Oh sure play the game that requires standing.”  Sam pouts.

“You know Samuel.”  Lance starts.  “The doctor said you should start exercising more, if you keep sitting you’ll gain weight and that could press on your heart.”

“So I need to move to keep me from dying, but I need to sit to keep me from dying… oh what a cruel contradicting life I live.”  He kept pouting.

“Here let me join you guys.”  Lance got up, Rico smiles and follows.  While they picked a song to dance to Isabella talked to Keith.

“You gonna play?”

“No, I can’t dance.”  Keith said shyly.  Isabella laughs.

“The game will tell you how to move, you just gotta let loose and have fun.”  She tells him.  “I mean I’m a big lady and I can still get down, I’m sure someone with your body can move.”  She teases, Keith smiles.

“I-I still can’t dance, I can only skate.”

“Skate?”

“Roller skate.”  He said, she still looked lost.

“Lance!”

“What?”  Lance looks at his mom.

“What is roller skate?”

“ _ El patín _ .”

“ _ La patín. _ ”  She nods.  “Sounds fun, explains why you’ve got the ass of a woman.”

“Hey!”  Keith blushes, she giggles.

“What?  It’s true.”

“Nothing about me is woman like.”

“Your ass says otherwise.”  She says, Keith pushes her.  “Hey hey, Lance is very feminine himself.”

“ _ ¡No lo soy! _ ”  Lance squeaks.  Keith and Isabella giggle.

“Also-”  Isabella stops and looks at him.  “You’ve got beautiful eyes.”

“Huh?”  Keith stops.

“They’re so pretty, like the night sky.”  She says.  Keith looks down, he covers his eyes so no one can see them.  Every mother figure he had loved his eyes.  “You know they’re even more beautiful when you smile.  You’re a very beautiful boy Keith.”  She says.

Keith’s mind went blank, he didn’t know what was going on.  Thankfully Sam’s falling was a good distraction from his dark thoughts.  Lance points and laughs at his brother who decided to trip him.  He squeals and flops on the floor.  Rico and Sarah take over, completely ignoring their idiotic older siblings.

Soon it grew darker, Sarah and Rico passed out on the floor.  Isabella carried Rico up while Lance took Sarah.  Isabella came back down and picked up Sam, dancing wore him out completely.  Lance insisted he takes his brother but Isabella said no and cuddles her son who was limp in her arms.

Lance sees Keith lay on the couch and look at the cushions.  He walks over and kisses his cheek.

“You okay?”

“Fine.”  Keith looks up at him.  Lance knew something was eating at him, he knew him too well.

“I hope seeing those two has brought some relief.  I knew you were beyond worried.”

“Yeah… I’m sorry about that.  I saw that fire and all I could think about was getting them out and-”  Lance cuts him off with a kiss.  He pulls away and smiles.  

“You need to calm down and relax, everything is fine.”  He says, Keith looks back at the cushions with a pained face.  “Keith just go to sleep and stay right here, okay?”  He runs his fingers through Keith’s hair and gave him a smile.

“I don’t know…”

“Then can you do it for me?”  He asks.  Keith gave him a playful smile.

“I dunno… I don’t know if I love you that much.”  Lance gave him an offended look.

“Oh fine, no more kisses for you.”  Lance said.  Keith smiles and curls into the couch more.  Lance groans.  “Stop being cute, it’s hard to stay mad at you.”

“Don’t think you were mad to begin with.”  Keith said, Lance sighs and gave him another kiss.  “I win~”

“Yeah yeah you win.”  Lance got up and threw a blanket on Keith.  “Goodnight.”

“Night.”  Keith curls up and tries to sleep.

* * *

Screaming filled the house waking everyone up.  Lance was the first one down, Isabella follows her son as fast as she could trying to see what was wrong.  Keith was holding his head and was wailing.  Lance ran up and grabs him.

“Keith?  Keith look at me!”  Lance said, Keith opens her eyes, tears flooded out.  He tried to fight out of Lance’s grasp, Lance pulls him in and held him down.  Keith began to kick and scream.

“LET ME GO!  LET ME GO!  I DON’T BELONG HERE!  I WANNA GO HOME!”  The other kids came down and saw what was going on.  “I SAID LET ME GO!  LET ME GO NOW!”  Rico hid behind Isabella, who was covering her mouth in fear.

“ _ Mijo  _ what’s wrong?”  She asks in a quiet voice.  Keith kept screaming.

“WHERE AM I?  I WANNA GO HOME!  DON’T TAKE ME AWAY, DON’T TAKE ME AWAY!”  Lance kept him in a strong hold.  Sam got a little closer, Keith sees him and tries to kick him.  “GET AWAY FROM ME!”  Sam steps back and looks at Lance.

“What is he doing Lance?”

“He’s freaking out!  What does it look like?!”  Lance asks in anger, he didn’t mean to snap but keeping Keith down was wearing him out.  “Keith calm down, it’s fine just come back to us.”

“YOU’RE MAKING NO GODDAMN SENSE!”  Keith snaps.  “JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!  I WANT MY PARENTS!”

“Keith-”

“I WANNA GO HOME!  I DON’T WANNA BE HERE!  I DON’T BELONG!  I WANNA-”  He looked down.  “I wanna… I wanna…”  He curls into Lance and cried.  “I wanna go home.”  Lance just sat there, all eyes on him.

He held him closer and let him cry, rubbing his scalp soothingly trying to calm him down.  Lance sighs, he kisses his head and whispers to him.

“Okay… I’ll take you home.” 


	63. Trip Back Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy hell I have never typed anything so fast in my life! Once I started I was in the zone man, you could not break me out of it. Enjoy the chapter everyone.

Keith stares out the window watching the scenery go by.  He was slowly coming back but his mind was somewhat a blank.  He looks back at the driver and the two hanging out in the back, wondering who they were and why they were with him.  He recalls what happened early that morning.

* * *

Lance texted Shiro what happened and that they were outside the apartment building.  In seconds he was out there.  He hugged Keith and looked dead in his eyes.

“You okay little bro?”

“... Where am I?  I thought you were taking me home?”

“I am, give me a sec.”  Lance pulls Shiro aside and let’s Keith mess with rocks on the road.  “Shiro… I wanna take Keith to see his old home.”

“What?”

“His old home.”  Lance plays with his hands.  “He… he told me what happened when he was younger.  He never got to fully say goodbye to his old home, his parents… he never got closer.  I want to take him back, maybe it can help.”  The two look back at Keith, he picks the rock up and throws it, it hit a car.  The alarm goes off, Keith jumps and looks back at them saying he didn’t mean to.

“I’ve already told mi Mamá that we were going.  I’ve even told Pidge and Hunk, I was wondering if you were okay with it.”  He said in a quiet voice.  Shiro raises an eyebrow and rubs the back of his neck.

“Well I’m not technically in charge anymore.  You and Keith are technically adults now, but Texas is pretty far away and his old home may be gone.”

“Not just the home, I want him to see his parents again.”  Lance looks down.  “He helped me cope with Rebecca, it’s time I helped him.”  He says.  Shiro gave him a smile and nods.

“Alright.  I have his stuff inside, you two can stay out here.”  He walks back in.  Lance looks at the bag he has and looked through all his stuff.

“Wonder if I have enough money for us.”  He said.  Keith looks at everything in his bag, he takes out a girly looking sweater and raised an eyebrow.  Lance takes it back and folds it.  “Hey I look better in it.”  He says with a smile.

Shiro walks back out, Allura right next to him.  She walks over to them holding something.

“Here.  It’s some money.”  She says.  “It’s not a whole lot… but it can get you to Texas and back.”

“Thanks Allura.”

“You both come back home safely, alright?”

“Yes we will.”  Lance sighs.  “Jeez you’re acting like-”

“A sister, I get that a lot from Keith.”  She says.  She gave Lance a quick kiss on the cheek and smiles.  “You both be careful.”  The two could hear Shiro talking to Keith.

“Okay you have a few spare clothes here, also a brush, and a toothbrush.  Here’s your wallet, your DS, your book, phone charger… you have your phone on you right?”  He asks.  Keith looks in his pocket and found his phone.  He held it up, silently asking if that was it.  Shiro nods and hands him the bag.  Keith took it and messed with the straps.

Shiro walks up to Lance and hands him keys.  Lance looks at them confused.

“You’re not going to walk to Texas.”  He says.  “You can drive my car down, it’s the black one next to Keith’s.”  Lance looks at the keys then back at Shiro.

“D-Don’t you need it?”  Lance asks.

“I can drive Keith’s car.  You take mine, no complaints.”  He says with a smile, Lance nods.

“Okay, thanks.”  He said.  Shiro pats Lance’s shoulder, he pulls the smaller boy in for a hug.  Lance smiles and hugs back.  Allura was telling Keith something, he sat there and stared at her but taking in what she was saying.

Lance pulls the car out and comes out.  He takes his bag and Keiths and puts it in the trunk.  As they said their final goodbyes an uber car pulls up and blocks their exit.  Pidge and Hunk crawl out, well Pidge stormed out.  They both had bags on their backs.

“YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING THIS ALONE THAN THINK AGAIN!”  Pidge snaps.

“Yeah man, we’re not leaving you guys alone to do this.”  Hunk said.  “We’re a team, the misfits.”

“Yeah, if one goes we all go!”  Pidge said happily.  Lance felt a smile creep on his face, he nods happily.  She smiles and punches his arm.  “That’s what I like to see.  Come on Hunk, let’s put these in the trunk.”  The two walk to the trunk, Keith watches them then points at the car, he noticed something but like usual he didn’t say anything.

They all said goodbye to Shiro and Allura and hopped into the car.  They drove off, a long journey ahead of them.

* * *

Pidge was passed out leaning against her big friend while Hunk was looking at his phone.  He yawns and looks at Lance.

“Do you know where you’re going man?”

“Shiro texted me the directions, google maps is a savior.”  He said with a smile.  Keith kept looking out the window.  Lance pats his leg and got his attention.  “You back yet?”  Keith raised a confused eyebrow at him.

“Uh… I guess?”  He said, Lance sighs and backs up.  That’s a no.  Hunk looks at Pidge who woke up slightly.

“Can we get McDonalds?”

“It’s one in the morning.  McDonald’s is closed.”

“It’s twenty four hours.”

“Pidge we’re not in Altea anymore.  We’re out of the city.”

“Fuuuuuck.”  She groans.  “I want a mcgriddle.”

“We’ll find one later.”  Lance said.

“But I’m starving.”

“Okay, I’ll find a gas station.  How does that sound?”

“McDonald’s later?”  She bats her eyes.

“Yes fine.”  They found a gas station and they pull up next to a pump.  “Okay I’ll fill this, you guys go get snacks.”  Pidge and Hunk nod and walk in, Keith stayed put.  Lance paid outside and filled the car.  Keith saw the two inside talking and picking stuff up.  They came back in moments later.  Lance puts the pump away and climbs back in.

“We got funyuns and munchies, also some candy.”  Hunk said happily.  Pidge pulls a twix bar out and throws it on Keith’s lap.  He saw it and immediately opens it.

“You like twix?”  Lance asks with a smile.

“I know it’s one of his favorites.”  Pidge said.  Keith shoves one in his mouth and looks back outside.  They drove off and found another town, their McDonalds was still closed.  Pidge groans and flips the dark building off.

“Jesus Katie.  We’ll find one later.”

“I want fucking breakfast.”

“Yeah and it’s like almost three.  Calm down.”

“How much longer till Texas?”  Hunk asks.  Lance checks and groans.

“We’ll have to stop for one night.”

“Okay.”  Hunk said, Pidge sighs and opens munchies.  They went through another city and couldn’t find any fast food joints so they went through it.  Soon enough it was six in the morning and Lance was with Pidge on finding a McDonalds cause damn he wants a coffee.

Pidge plays on her DS with Hunk, playing a Kirby battle game and getting way into it.  Keith fell back asleep and was resting his head.  So for the most part the car was quiet on the slightly busy highway.  Then something taps Pidge’s leg.  She jumps and screams.

“Pidgey?  I’m hungry.”  A small voice squeaks.  That made Lance stop the car completely and pull over.  Keith hits his head against the dash and groans.

“LANCE WHAT THE HELL?!”  He snaps.  Lance looks over freaking out, seeing who scared the heck out of Pidge.

Low and behold Sarah was crawling out from under the back seat.  She must’ve followed them and snuck into the car.  She hid under the back seat the whole time, she probably fell back asleep.

Keith looks over at her and got her attention.

“Sweetie what are you doing here?”

“Roadtrip!”  She says happily, Lance grabs his phone and called home.  He never typed a number in so fast.

“Hello?  Sam is that you?!”

“I’m guessing you know where Sarah is?”  Sam asks in a bored tone.  In the back he could hear Isabella freaking out and Rico calling his sister.  “Mamá is throwing everything around trying to find her and Rico has a magnifying glass like she shrunk or something.”

“She followed Keith and I.  She’s in our car.”

“Hi Sam!”  Sarah says.  Sam groans, they heard him talk to Isabella.

“Okay how far are you?”

“Too far now.”  Lance said.  Sarah sat on the floor while Hunk and Pidge wait to see what Lance is gonna do about his sister.  He nods and spoke in spanish so no one besides Sarah understood.  She seemed happy.  “Okay… so Sarah is with us now.”

“Are you serious?!”  Hunk asks.

“Yay!”

“I am not happy with you young lady.  Not at all.”  He snaps.  She only giggles and curls on the floor.  He groans and went back into the highway.

* * *

Lance hands Keith the bag and tells him to hand everything out. 

“Okay so sausage.”  He hands it to Pidge.  “Two bacon.”  He hands those to Hunk.  “A biscuit, that’s for you.”  Hands it to Lance.  “A big breakfast, do not spill that in my brother’s car.”

“I won’t.”  Sarah said and opened her big breakfast.

“And the rest is mine.”  Keith said.  He took out their drinks and hands them off.  “Coke for Pidge, OJ for Hunk, OJ for me, and chocolate milk for Sarah.”  He finally puts everything down and they all started eating.  Lance looks over at them and pulls out of the driveway. 

“Everyone happy?  You all get what you wanted?”  He asks in a dull voice.  Pidge nods, Hunk gave a thumbs up, and Sarah smiles.  “Good, now let’s get going.  We’ll stop for one night and hopefully be there before the end of the night tomorrow.”  Lance said.  Everyone nods and he drove off.

Pidge reaches for his coffee, Lance slaps her hand.

“Woman I am driving!  You sit the fuck back!”  She pouts and leans against Hunk.  Sarah giggles and looks outside.  Hunk looks with her.

“That cloud looks like a face.”  He says.  She points at another one.

“That’s a knight riding on a horse.”

“That one looks like some mice.”

“That ones a brave lion.”  The two kept going, Pidge looks out.

“They all look like fluffy, white, turds.”  She says.

“You ruined it.”  Hunk said.  “We were having fun and you ruined it.”  Keith smiles at them and looked out.

“How do you guys see all those things?”  He asks.

“You use your imagination Princess.”  Sarah tells him.  “Look at that one.”  Everyone looks at it.  Lance spoke up first.

“It looks like someone jumping.”  He says, Keith nods.

“I can see it.”  He says.  Sarah looks at it.

“It’s Rebecca.”

“You see Rebecca?”  Lance asks.

“Yeah, it’s her.  Look at it, it’s her.”  She says happily.  Lance smiles and looks up at the cloud.  “She’s running around up there and playing.”

“Y-Yeah, she’s playing…”  Lance said quietly.  Keith smiles and pats his leg.  Lance grabs his hand and smiles back.  Sarah giggles and sits back on the floor, hiding behind Pidge’s leg.  Pidge rolls her eyes and rubs Sarah’s head, Hunk chuckles at his small friend’s behavior.

* * *

“How are you already lost?!”  Keith asks Lance while he looked at his phone confused.  Hunk was sitting inside, Sarah was sitting in his lap waiting for everyone to come back in the car.  Pidge was on top of the car sitting cross legged looking at them.

“Didn’t you use to live there?  You find it!”  Lance says in anger.

“Remember I was dragged out kicking and screaming?  I don’t remember where it is!  Hell it’s been so long ago I barely remember it!”

“Then don’t yell at me, I’m looking at the map again.”  He says while looking at his phone.  Keith pouts and leans against the car.  Pidge looks down at them.

“Soooo are we going to get moving or…”

“Wait a sec.”  Lance tells her, he found the road he needed to go on and hops back in the car.  The three hop back in and drive back on the vacant road.  The group played more games, talked, listened the radio, and even sang along to some songs.

They had to stop though cause Lance was getting way too tired.  They stopped in a small town near a park.  Sarah ran out and played, Hunk was filming her running around.  Pidge walks out and was pulled into Sarah’s games.

Lance lays in the back and relaxes.  Keith crawls back with him and lays on top of him, Lance groans and gave him a look, Keith gave him a soft smile and bats his eyes innocently.

“What is wrong with you?”  Lance asks, Keith chuckles and nuzzles into him.  Lance sighs, he puts an arm over Keith and falls asleep.

Outside Pidge was trying to chase Sarah around on the equipment, Hunk taping it all.  Pidge starts shrieking at Sarah telling her to stop being so fast, the little girl mocks her and kept running.

* * *

A loud scream woke Lance up, he jolts awake causing Keith to wake up.  He glares at him and tries to go back to sleep.  Lance checked the time, he was asleep for about an hour.  He groans as he grabbed his glasses and looked outside.  His face dropped in disappointment and he got Keith’s attention.

“Babe… Babe look.”  He says, Keith slowly got up and rubs his eyes.

“What?”  He asks in an irritated voice, he looks out and sees Pidge stuck in a baby swing.  Sarah and Hunk were trying to help her out.  Lance buries his face in Keith’s neck and made a tired noise.

“Can’t leave them alone for one freaking hour.  One freaking hour…”  He whines.  Keith kept watching them in confusion, wondering what the heck Pidge was thinking when she crawled in there.  Lance grabs Keith and fell back on the back seat.  He didn’t want to deal with it.  Keith nuzzles back into him and tried falling back asleep.

Five minutes passed when Sarah came over opening the back door, she taps her brothers foot to wake him up.

“ _ Hermano _ , we need your help.”  She says, Lance groans.

“ _ ¡Saquen a ese idiota de ahí! _ ”  He says in a tired voice.  Keith lifts his head and gave Sarah a tired look.

“She got herself stuck so she should get out herself.”  He said before flopping back on Lance.

“YOU TWO GET OFF YOUR LAZY ASSES AND HELP ME!”  Pidge yells.  Keith shot up and yells at her.

“YOU GOT YOURSELF STUCK SO DEAL WITH IT!”  With that he flops back down, Lance groans and held Keith.

“Stop flopping on me, I’m not a mattress.”  He mumbles.  Keith made a noise and nuzzles into him.  Pidge kept shrieking demanding for help.  Soon enough Keith got up and went to help the shrieking teenager.  Lance rolls on his side and curls up in a ball, sound asleep.

He and Hunk got her out, Sarah claps and jumps in joy that Pidge was freed from the baby swing.  Keith walks back over and sees Lance sound asleep, he smiles and rubs his side and lets him sleep for a little while longer.

* * *

Lance rubs his eyes as he drives down the long road, Keith raised an eyebrow and gave him a look.

“We can switch places ya know.”

“No, I-I’m good.”  He says quietly.  “Just gotta keep driving till dark.”

“You mean till night?  Cause like hell it’ll get dark soon.”

“Whatever.”  Lance mumbles.  Sarah was leaning against Pidge, both girls asleep, Hunk was awake and looking outside.

“What time is it?”

“Four in the afternoon.”  Lance tells him and looks back at the map, Keith messes with his hair and lets the radio play.  After a few more hours Pidge and Sarah were awake and smacking each other for no reason whatsoever.  Hunk looked at them in distress, Keith ignores them and Lance was off in his own little world.

After a while in a random city Lance was drifting off in sleep and jolting awake.  Keith was done, he slams his hands down on his thighs.

“That’s it.  We’re stopping.”

“No I can keep going.”  Lance said in a tired voice.  Keith glares at him, Lance grumbles and wouldn’t look at him.

“We are finding a hotel now.”  Keith takes Lance’s phone and looks up a nearby hotel.  “You need to rest, you’ve been up ever since one in the morning.”

“I’ve taken a nap.”

“You’re running on two hours of sleep.  We can stop for the night.”  Keith says.  Lance gave in and nods.

“Fine, find a place.”

“Will it have a pool?”  Sarah asks.

“You didn’t pack your swimsuit.”  Lance says.  Sarah pouts.

“No fair, I didn’t pack anything.”  She says, Lance remembers that and groans.

“I forgot you snuck on.  I am not letting you wear dirty clothes.”  He looks at Keith.  “Keith can you look up a Walmart or something?”

“Yeah.”  Keith looks it up and pulls the directions up.  After getting lost in the city they finally found it and the five cheered.  They walked in and seperated.  Hunk was with Keith looking at Star Wars lightsabers, Pidge was looking at video games.  Lance was the only one looking for clothes for Sarah.

When he found a few he looks for his friends, they were having a lightsaber battle.  Hunk and Keith were in character and talking to each other.  Sarah was watching them laughing while Pidge was using Hunk’s phone to film them.

“You cannot win young jedi.”  Keith said in a dark voice, Hunk held up a blue lightsaber.

“I will not let you win, sith lord!”  He says, Keith gave a smirk and flips the lightsaber around like the show off he secretly was.  The two started battling, Lance covers his mouth to not ruin this masterpiece with his laughter.  Pidge was chuckling a bit, Sarah was giggling out loud.

Keith pretends to use the force to choke Hunk, he went with it and pretends to choke.

“Surrender to the dark side.”

“Never!”  He says.  Then Keith puts his hand down, Hunk fell on the ground and “regains his breath”.  Lance cuts them off causing Pidge to stop the video.

“Come on you idiots.  Keith wanted us to find a place to rest so let’s go.”  He says as he walks to the front.  The girls follow, Keith helps Hunk up.

“Joy killer.”  The big guy mumbles.  Keith rolls his eyes and follows them, Hunk right behind Keith.

* * *

They all got a room and immediately Lance was on a bed passed out, poor guy was tired.  Sarah took her brother’s shoes off and his glasses off his face.  He opens one eye and smiles at her.

“Thanks Sweetie.”  He says quietly.  The two give each other a small peck and Sarah walks towards the bathroom to change into her swimsuit.

“Pidgey, can I come in and change?”  She asks, Pidge opens the door for her.  Hunk and Keith made a line and waited for the two girls to get done.  Lance woke up a bit due to being uncomfortable, he takes his jeans off and curls up under the blankets.

Pidge and Sarah walked out in swimsuits, Sarah had a one piece swimsuit with flowers on it.  Pidge had a simple green bikini top and small swim shorts on.  Pidge looked like a big sister taking her little sister out to swim.  The two run out happily to go swim, Hunk was next in simple yellow trunks, Keith walks out with a towel on his head and red and white swim trunks.

The four played in the water and soon realized that Sarah is a great swimmer like her brother.

“What the hell?!  Are all of you mermaids or something?”

“ _ No lo entiendo… _ ”  Sarah says.  Pidge points at her.

“You swim like Lance, like it’s nothing.”

“I use to swim in the ocean with  _ mi hermanos  _ back in Cuba.”  She says happily.  Pidge pouts but continues to swim with her, the only difference with Sarah is that Pidge could keep up.  The four played marco polo and Keith hated it.

He kept ducking under water whenever Hunk got close.  Like if the big teddy bear caught him he’d be dead.  Sarah and Pidge played normally.  They quit playing and decided to float around, there wasn’t much to do when swimming.

“Why do people enjoy this again?”  Keith asks while floating on his back.

“I dunno.  Why do people like running?”  Pidge asks while floating on a pool noodle.  Keith raises his eyebrows, she made a good point.  Hunk floats by on three noodles with a smile.

“I am loving life.”  He says, Sarah swims under them and pops up on the other side.  They all look at her, she smiles and goes back under to swim.

“She seems to enjoy this.”  Pidge says.  The two boys nod as they continue to watch her swim around.  Keith decided to get out, he hops out lifting himself out of the water.  He grabs his towel and dries himself off slightly as he walks back to his room.  The other three continued to hang around the pool.

He walks in and kept drying off, Lance wakes up slightly and watches Keith with a smile.  He notices and raises an eyebrow.

“What are you looking at?”  Keith asks, Lance gave a playful smirk.

“Something sexy.”  He says, Keith smirks and got closer.

“Like what you see?”

“You know I do.”  He pulls him down for a kiss.  Keith leans over him, trying to get closer.  Lance pushes him off slightly.  “You’re hair is still wet.”

“Well excuse me.”  He says, Lance chuckles and lays back down.  Keith got up and got changed, he lays next to Lance and brushes his hair out of his face.  “You’re way too cute.”  Lance smiled shyly and hid a bit.

“What have you done to my overly shy boyfriend?”

“Oh I can’t give you a compliment?”  Keith asks while propping himself up on his elbow.  Lance looks up at him with a smirk.

“I know you, you never act like this.  Is it because we’re alone?  Is that the only way you can compliment me?”

“Maybe.”  Keith kisses Lance’s head, the Cuban giggles.

“You’re kind of a cheese ya know?”

“Shut up and let me be romantic.”  Keith says while kissing Lance’s face, he kept laughing and trying to push him off.

“Keith stop it, what if the others come in?”  He asks through his laughter.  Keith chuckles but got up.

“Fine I stopped.  Ya happy?”

“Well…”

“I swear to God if you say you want me back I’m leaving you all alone on this bed.”  Keith says, Lance held his arms out.

“Cuddle!”  He says in a small voice, Keith sighs but flops on him like in the car.  Lance makes an oh so attractive noise and lightly punches his arm.  “I’ve already told you I am not a bed.”  That got Keith to laugh.

The other three walk in and got ready for bed, Pidge shared with Hunk while Sarah squeezed between Keith and her brother.  They all fall asleep, preparing themselves for the last stretch of their trip.


	64. I'm Back Appa, Eomma

Waking up the next day was more uncomfortable for some than others.  Lance slowly got up and felt his back crack, he groans in discomfort and looks down at the other two he had to share a bed with.

Keith had his arms wrapped around Sarah like a parent protecting his child.  Sarah was curled up and accepted the warmth, hey better her than Lance.  He got out of bed and looks at his two friends who had to share.  Hunk was sprawled out while Pidge used him as a pillow, she looked as uncomfortable as you’d think.

He grabs his glasses and walks towards the bathroom, taking his time to get ready for today.  He walks out and sees Pidge awake playing video games on the floor.  She gave him a peace sign.

“Morning Scrawny.”

“And a good morning to you too, Midget.”  He comments back.  She smiles at him and took the bathroom for herself.  He heard her start the shower in there, and Lance had discovered one feminine thing about Pidge.  She likes showers, and hot ones from the looks of it.

Keith woke up after hearing the water turn on, Lance had turned on the TV and watched the local news because it was different from Altea and he wants to see what’s going on.  He sat up and looks at the TV.

“When did you wake up?”

“About twenty minutes ago.”  Lance said as he watched Keith rub the sleep out of his eyes.

“Oh…”  He looks at Sarah who was still curled up sound asleep.  “She’s still sleepin… sleepy girl.”  He flops on her, Lance heard his sister squeak.

“Can you not flop on my sister?”  Lance asks.  “Come on you’re awake so go get ready.”

“Who’s taking a shower?”  He asks while playing with Sarah’s hair.

“It’s Pidge.”

“Okay.”  He grabs his clothes and walks in sleepily.  Lance covered his mouth to muffle his laughter.  He heard Pidge starting to complain.

“KEITH WHAT THE HELL?!  I AM IN HERE!”

“I’ll be out in a minute.”

“I AM TAKING A SHOWER!”

“I can’t see you at all.”  Keith says as he changed.  He walks out and sits next to Lance.  “She takes steamy showers.”

“I cannot believe you walked in on her.”

“Again I couldn’t see her at all, she was like a peach colored blob.”  Keith says, Lance shook his head and kept watching the news.  Keith walks to his bag and pulls his phone out, Shiro had texted him a shit ton and now Keith has over eighty messages.  He groans and quickly scrolls through them.  He then called him, Hunk woke up and waited in line to use the bathroom.

“Come on Pidge… hurry up, some of us want to change.”  He whines, Sarah woke up and walks into the bathroom to get ready, Hunk groans and hits his head against the door.

“Piiiiiiiidge please!”  He kept whining.

“Almost done~”  She sings.  He sat on the floor and pouts.  Sarah walks out wearing a pale pink shirt with ribbons that looked like they were holding the front and back together and brown shorts.  She hands a hair brush to Lance.

“Pigtails!”

“Okay okay.  Keith I’m taking your hair ties.”  Lance calls, Keith nods and kept talking to Shiro.  Lance brushes Sarah’s snarly hair and puts it in pigtails.  She smiles and walks around the room happily.  Pidge was finally done, she slides her shirt on and had short overall bottoms on.  Her left strap was undone leaving that half exposed.

“Wow you have some good fashion sense small one.”

“Shut up, you’re just as bad.”  She points out what he’s wearing.  It was the black top he wore on his first date.  It shrunk due to Isabella’s smart washing skills, everything on hot, and thus his shirt shrunk a bit leaving a sliver of his skin exposed.  On bottom were normal jeans with a galaxy belt.

“Hey I look good~”  Lance poses, Pidge rolls her eyes.

“Yeah yeah, fashionista.”  She says.  Lance winks at her.  “Meanwhile the love of your life is wearing the most basic thing ever.”  Lance had to agree with her on that.  Keith was wearing a loose grey tank top and pale grey capris.  But Keith made it work, not to Lance’s surprise.  Also it shows off how built he was, Keith was all muscle up top, and beautiful legs to go with it.

He hangs up and walks to the other bed, Sarah sits next to him.

“I leave Shiro for one day and he’s all worried.”

“Well this is the first big trip without him.”  Lance said.  Pidge nods and looks at her friend.

“You know Shiro is protective of you.”  She says, Keith looks down and messes with his hair.

“I know… but I wish he’d calm down a bit.  I mean… I’m fine.”

“You’re strong.”  Sarah says.  “Tell your big brother that you can make it on your own, and you can deal with any obstacle in your way!”  She said in a squeaky voice and poses.  Keith hugs her and cuddles her.

“You’re so cute!”  He says.  She giggles and hugs him back.  Hunk walks out wearing a normal yellow shirt and pale capris like Keith’s.  He sees Keith mauling the small child and points.

“So what did I miss?”

* * *

They all missed free breakfast and drove out into the city.  Lance looked up a place for all of them to eat and found a small sit down place.  They walked in and waited to sit down, Pidge sees all the old people hanging around the place as well as very small children.

“Why here?”

“Cause it’s cozy.”  Lance said with a smile.  “Also I checked prices and this place was cheaper.”

“Okay sure.”  She sassed.  An older waitress comes in and leads them to a booth.  Keith, Sarah, and Pidge took one side, Lance and Hunk were on the other.  The lady hands them paper placemats and looks at Sarah.

“Want crayons Sweetie?”  She asks, Sarah smiles and nods.  The lady walks off and comes back with a box of crayons, legit crayons.  Sarah squeaks in joy and began to draw.  The teenagers look back at eachother, kind of shocked that the place had real crayons and not cheap substitutes.  They let the happy girl color and started to have a normal conversation.

“So how much farther till Keith’s home town?”

“Dunno… like a few hours to go?”  Lance says that like a question.  Keith looks at them.

“Yeah but remember I lived in the country.”  He says.  Lance nods, he remembers that and to be honest he’s worried about finding the place.  He doesn’t know if he’ll even find it or if his house is still there.  If it is someone might’ve taken it.

“Done!”  Sarah said.  She drew herself with a rainbow behind her.  She smiles and held up her masterpiece.  Pidge smirks and takes it.  She drew herself with a stick figure body, her face was the stuff of nightmares.  It looked like a troll when they hack into your computer.  She colors it and smiles.

“Now I’m in it.”  She says, Lance takes it and draws himself on the other side.  His art skills were limited like Pidge’s but he thought he did good, better than hers.  He held up his masterpiece.  Hunk took it and drew himself behind Lance, he had a more chibi type style and even gave himself a kitty face.

“Ta da~”  He sings.  Keith takes it and draws himself in his usual cartoon style.  Pidge snaps.

“Show off.”  She says.  Keith smirks and puts the crayons down.  Sarah held up the drawing to Lance and smiles.  He takes it and folds it up.

“We’ll take it home with us.”  He says, Sarah nods in joy.  The five ordered and waited, they kept talking and joking around like it was normal.  It was nice to sit in a booth and talk again, it was like they were at school again.  Only difference was a little ginger sitting next to them coloring on another table mat.

* * *

They went back into the car and drove for what felt like forever.  Keith was looking out the window and he was watching the scenery go by.  Sarah was leaning against Hunk and watched him text Shay.  Pidge was laying on her side, curled up and asleep.  Lance got an evil smirk, Keith noticed it.

“Babe what are you plotting?”  He asks.  Lance speeds up, Keith held onto his seat for dear life.  The out of nowhere Lance slams on his breaks.  Sarah held onto Hunk who barely moved, but he looked terrified.  Pidge fell on the floor, he could hear her panic scream.  She shot up and glares at Lance.

“What is wrong with you?!”

“Rise and Shine~”  He says, she smacks him and sat back down in her seat.  Keith finally releases his death grip.  

“I-I hate you so much…”  He growls.  Lance smiles and kept driving.  Everyone wasn’t happy with him.

“Why did you do that?”  Hunk asks.  “Was messing with Pidge worth scaring everyone else?”

“Yes.”  Lance simply said.  Sarah started kicking his seat in anger in annoyance.

“ _ ¡Idiota! ¡Te odio, estúpido estúpido hermano! _ ”

“ _ ¡Deja de patear mi asiento! ¡Sarah, déjalo, te lo juro por Dios! _ ”  He shouts.  “ _ ¡Dije que basta! _ ”  He snaps.

“ _ ¡No! ¡Eres idiota! _ ”  Sarah says.

“Guys.”  Keith’s voice dropped.  “Do not fight in the car.”  Both of them stopped.  “Thank you.”  The two pout and turn from one another.  Keith felt his phone vibrate, he picks it up and sees Hunk texted him.  It read: are these two gonna fight the rest of the trip?

Keith texts back: give them five minutes.  The car was quiet again, Pidge sat up and takes out her DS.  Hunk went back to talking with Shay, Sarah went to Pidge and watched her play games.  Keith turned the radio on and listened to some guy complain about the government.  He just groans and flips through the radio.

“I want music.”  He says.  He kept flipping through talk shows, finally he lands on one with  _ Black Widow _ playing.  He settles on it, at least it’s music.  Lance started to hum, then started to sing.  Keith chuckles and goes along with him.  Soon enough the car was full of singing.

As soon as the song ended they all laughed and went back to doing whatever.  Lance turned the radio down slightly and looked around at the new city they were in.  Sarah looks out the window and points at everything.  Pidge looks out with her, Hunk began to film everyone looking around.

They stopped somewhere so everyone could get out and stretch.  Pidge and Sarah bee line for the bathrooms while the boys just stand around and wait.

“Why do girls always have to go to the bathroom?”  Hunk asks.

“Dunno.”  Lance said.  They all thought about it but decided that it was just another mystery about women that men will never understand.

The come out a little later and crawls back into the car.  The three file in after them and drove off again.  Keith was looking out the window bored out of his mind while everyone occupied themselves with something.  Sarah managed to snag Lance’s phone to play games on it, Pidge kept playing her DS.  Hunk fell asleep, snoring filled the car.  Lance was focused on the road again.

Keith groans quietly and watched the scenery blindly.

“This is one long trip.”

* * *

After passing one town the group was singing along to random songs and memes that Lance was playing on his phone.  The sky was an orange, gold color and it looked appealing against the brown and yellow ground.  As soon as their song was over the group laughs and waits for another song to come on.

They heard techno play and the group dances around happily.  Keith wipes the tears from his eyes and looks out the window.  He stops, his smile slowly faded.  Everyone noticed Keith’s face.  Lance grabs his leg and tried getting Keith’s attention.

“Sweetie?  Everything alright?”  No answer.  Nothing.  He slowly points at a broken barn, Lance looks over and sees it.  It’s torn up and looks like shit, yet Keith can’t take his eyes off of it.

“Stop.”  He finally says.  “Stop the car.”  Lance does as Keith said and he walked out towards the barn.  Lance panics.

“K-Keith what are you doing?”  He asks, Lance pulls the car up a dirt road near the barn.  The other four walk out and found Keith in the barn looking at everything.

He touches a pillar and some of the tools left there.  Everyone else looks around.

“What is this place?”  Hunk asks.  Keith walks up to a hole in the roof, he sat down and looks at it.  Lance walks over and looks up as well.

“Keith?”  He got closer.  “Did we find it?  Is this your house?”  He asks.  Keith continues to stare at the hole.

“In here… I can see where the roof is weak.”  He says quietly.  “I can see it…”  He looks down at the ground.  “I broke the roof.”

“Keith get up.”  Lance held his hand out.  Keith grabs it and saw Pidge was on the second story of the barn.

“Dudes I found an owl.”

“Pidge get down, owls are dangerous.”  Lance scolds, she sighs and climbs down.

“It was awesome.  Looking at me with it’s big eyes.”

“Probably wanted to kill you.”  He says.

“Hey guys!”  Hunk calls from outside.  The three walk out to meet up with Hunk and Sarah who was pointing at a house.

“It looks old and dirty.”  She says, Keith’s eyes grew.  He walked up to it, everyone followed.  He walks up the porch and touched the door.  His breath hitches.

He grabs the doorknob and slowly pushes the door open, some rubble fell off the top as he walked in.  Everyone looks in and sees furniture was still there, all dusty and dirty.  Almost like nothing was taken out.

Keith just stood in the room he walked in, it was a living room.  He falls on his knees and held his mouth, he began to cry.  Everything was coming back to him, all the memories, all the happy times, the sad ones, everything.

He was home.

Everyone walks in and looks around, Lance walks in front of Keith and got his attention.

“Sweetie.”  He dries off his tears for him.  “Come on, let’s look around.”  He helps Keith up and the two look around.  They heard Pidge walk into another room chasing something out.

“Get out, shoo!”  She says.  Then she pokes her head into the living room.  “Found raccoons.”  Hunk and Sarah looked through the upstairs.  Hunk looks through the rooms while Sarah found a room that belonged to Keith.

She walks around and pulls out all the old toys, some clothes that weren’t packed, and his bed that was a mess.  She saw a toy fire truck and turned it on, it still worked.  Pidge finds Hunk and searches with him.  Lance walks up with Keith right behind him, the toy truck about hit him.

“WAH!”

“Sorry.”  Sarah said.  Keith smiles and chases after the truck.  He picks it up and walks back to Lance while the truck was still lit up and making noise.

“Turn that off, please.”  Lance said, Keith turns it off and messes with it.  He had a fond smile on his face.

“Appa bought this for me when I was really little.  I remember running around yelling “I’mma fireman!” while Eomma pretended to be caught in a burning building.”  Keith says in a far off voice.  “After that I wanted to be an astronaut… funny how the world works… don’t you think?”  He asks, Lance just smiles and nods.

“Yeah, it is.”  He messes with a wheel on the truck.  Keith gave it back to Sarah.  She smiles and plays with it again.  Keith walks into the room with Sarah and looked around.  Lance came in and saw what was on his ceiling.  “You must’ve really liked space.”

Keith walks to his old bed and lays on it to stare at the ceiling.  Up on it were plastic stars that use to glow in the dark but now are just little plastic stars on the ceiling.  Lance and Sarah sat on the floor and looked up.  Pidge came in and knocks on the door.

“Sorry to interrupt but-”  She held up a photograph in a frame.  It was dusty and looked a little older.  Keith got up and walks towards her.  He looks at the photo, he then grabs it and held it close.  Pidge smiles.  “Figured that was them, you look just like them.  Especially her.”  She walks downstairs to look some more.

Lance walks over and looks at the photo, Keith began to cry and points at them.

“Appa, and Eomma.”  He said quietly.  Lance nods and held onto his waist.

“You do look just like them Sweetie.”  He said in a soft voice.  Keith kept staring at the photo, watching his tears fall on it.  Lance points at the last person in the photo.  “You?”  He nods.

“Y-Yeah.”

“You had long hair as a kid.”

“I-I liked my hair long.”  He said.  He walks out into his parents room, finding all sorts of things.  Lance sat on the bed and watched Keith roam around.  He pulled out all his mother’s jewelry, even some of his father’s things.  Lance kicked at something, he raised an eyebrow and picks it up.

“Hey Keith, I found something.”  He says.  Keith walks up and sat next to Lance, it was a crummy old book.  Lance opens it and the first thing he sees is a picture of Keith’s parents when they were young.  “A photo album.”  He hands it to Keith.

He looks through it with big curious eyes.  He closed it and held it close, with the picture Pidge found.  They all continued to look around the old house.  Keith walks into the kitchen and looks outside through the leaves of some random plant that grew there.

Pidge was on top of the chicken coop yelling that she was God or something.

“Dogs use to go in and steal our chickens.”  Keith said to Lance.  “Appa could never find a way to get rid of them.”

“Yeah?”  Lance asks.  Hunk was out there with her telling her to get down.  Sarah ran around outside with the truck.  She was not letting go of that thing anytime soon.  Keith looks at the frame and started to cry.

“Being in here… it’s making me remember everything that’s happened.  I can’t believe I remembered what this place looked like.  That this run down place use to be my home.”  He said looking at Lance.  “It’s funny that now I look at it and it feels like a lost memory… now this isn’t home… it’s just a memory.”  He sounded like a poet.

Lance hugs him from behind and lets Keith take everything in.  After what felt like hours Keith looks at Lance and gave a confused look.

“We going back home yet?”  He asks, Lance smiles.

“I want to make one more stop.”

* * *

It wasn’t too hard getting into the area at night.  Usually they have fences and you’d have to wait till morning to get in, but this small town didn’t have a fence around their graveyard so you could go in and walk around.

Lance and Hunk used their phones as flashlights and the five walked around looking for it.  Pidge saw something and points at it, Lance and Hunk shined their flashlights and saw a small bush next to one gravehead.  They walked over and read the name on the gravestone that was covered.

_ ‘Hyun-Jung Kogane’  Loving wife and mother.  ‘Goodbyes aren’t forever.  Goodbyes are not the end.  They simply mean ‘I’ll miss you’ until we meet again.’ _

“Eomma…”  He whimpered a bit.  He read the other stone right next to it.

_ ‘Darrel Kogane’  Beloved husband and father  Widow  age: 34  ‘We’re all made up of the same stuff, the same dust.  You, me, everyone is all related, we are all family.’ _

Keith rubs the tears from his eyes and looks at his father’s grave, he hasn’t seen it at all.  Never got to fully say goodbye to him.  Lance rubs Keith’s shoulders and smiles.

“We’ll be back at the car Sweetie.  You take your time, okay?”  He said.  Keith nods, Lance gave him a kiss on the head and walks back to the car with everyone.

Keith sat on the ground in front of the gravestones and smiles.

“Hey Appa… Eomma…  I-I’m back.”  He says weakly.  “I’m sorry it took me so long to come back.  It’s been… rough…”  He messes with the grass to think of what to say.  “So um… I was adopted, they were awesome.  Made me feel like I was their child, I felt just as home.  I also got a brother, he’s taking good care of me.”

“Also my Dad taught me how to fly, I guess I’m good at it.”  Keith smiles.  “And I’ve made friends, they’re nice.”  He messes with his hair.  “So I’m happy I guess, it would be nice to have you guys with me though.”

He looks at the bush near his Eomma’s grave.  It was a strawberry bush, Keith smiles and takes one and eats it with a playful smile, imagining his Eomma scolding him for eating one.  He thought and immediately digs in his pocket and pulls out his knife.

“Lookie Eomma, I still have it!  I-I’ve treasured it… like you treasured me.”  He says, then he felt himself cry.  “I… I’m so sorry guys.  I couldn’t save you, I caused you to die.”  He hid his face.

“I want you guys back.”  He whimpers.  “I’ve killed my other parents, my brother lost his arm because of me!  I-I can’t do this alone, I need you back!  I-I’m so sorry!  Please forgive me!”  He hid in his hands and let himself cry.

“I’m such a horrible child…”  He finally said.  He heard someone walk up behind him, he slowly turns and sees Sarah staring at him with shocked and sad eyes.

“Princess…”

“S-Sarah… I-”  Before he could say anything she hugs him.  He felt a little stunned by her sudden embrace.  She looks at him with a smile.

“Can I say hi to your parents?”  She asks, Keith looks over at the graves and nods.

“Sure.”  He stood and kept her in his arms as she walks forward.  “Appa, Eomma, this is Sarah.  She’s my sister… well she will be someday.”  He says.

“Hello Princess’s parents!”  She waves.  “It’s nice to finally meet you guys, he talks about you guys a lot.”  Keith felt a little ashamed that the only reason she knows about them is due to him having panic attacks around her.  No child should see that.

“He’s great you know.”  She kept going.  “He’s really nice and he plays with Rico and I a lot.  He’s also really smart, my brother says he reads a lot and gets good grades.  He’s going to college!  Also he’s gonna be an uncle!”  She sounded so excited for him, sounding like a proud sibling.

“You don’t have to worry anymore.”  She says.  “He’s okay now, a lot of people care about him.  He’s not alone, he’s got me and my family, also his friends and his brother.”  Sarah grabs his arm and smiles.  “I promise my brother will take good care of him.  It’s a royal promise.”  She puts her pinkie on both of their gravestones.  “Say hi to my sister for me.”

Keith felt tears come down, how can this girl be real?  How can anyone in her family, all his friends, everyone?  What did he do to deserve such kind people?

He got on his knees and hugs her.  Crying into her shoulder, she hugs back and messes with his hair.

“I love you so much Sweetie.”  He says, she giggles and hugs tighter.

“Love you too Princess.”  After a minute of hugging he picks her up and walks back to the car where everyone was waiting.  Keith hands Sarah to Hunk, he takes her and lets her fall asleep on him.

He got into the passenger's seat and sighs.  Lance smiles at him and lightly grabs his leg, Keith grew a soft smile and took Lance’s hand in his.

“Thank you for taking me home.”  He says, Lance smiles and nods.

“Anything for you  _ Cariño _ .”  He says as he starts the car up.  Pidge made a gagging noise.

“Come on you two, can’t you go one day without being all lovey dovey?”  She asks, both boys smirk at her.  “No, no for the love of God please don’t-”

“ _ Lo quiero mucho. No pasa un día sin él en mis pensamientos. Es mi todo. _ ”  Lance says, Keith barely got that but he knew it was cheesy and sweet.

“ _ Oh, mi amor. _ ”

“Knock it off!  God you two are such saps.”  She says with a smile, both boys laugh while Hunk rolled his eyes.

“And I thought Shay and I were bad.  Nope, they’re worse.”

“Much worse.”  Pidge says.  They drove back to Altea in silence.  At one point Keith just stares at Lance.  He smiles while staring.

He never had someone to go to.  Nobody ever broke his walls down, no one could ever do it, Shiro never bothered trying.  Lance was stubborn, he was nosy, he wanted to know everything.  And Keith’s glad Lance was like that, he has someone.  Someone to be there for him, a rock to lean on.

He leans against Lance as he drives and falls asleep, never feeling so at home in all his life.  Doesn’t matter where he lives and who his family is.  As long as Lance is there, as well as all his friends, he’s home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah! I've been typing like there is no tomorrow! This was the main thing in the story surprisingly, this whole story was about Keith saying goodbye to the past. Have fun with that knowledge.


	65. Epilogue

The cafe was slightly full with college students that November day.  Ever since they learned that the star student comes here a lot they assumed that meant it was high quality.  Never bothered the three who worked there, more business means more money.

“Coran can you help me out over here on baked stuff?”  Lance asks from the kitchen, he looks over and nods.

“Coming.”  Coran walks in, Lance hands out another tray.

“Red Lion: Hot Mocha with a peppermint twist and Yellow Lion: Strawberry shortcake.”

“Thank you.”  Allura said.  She hands it to the customer and took another persons order.  Then she had to stop when she heard crying.  “Hold on.”

“Allura I can take him if you want.  Coran’s back here helping me now.”  Lance says, Allura sighs in relief.

“Oh thank you Lance.”  He walks out and picks up Allura’s son.

“Hello Sora, what’s got you so upset _mi bebé_?”  He asks, Sora looks up at Lance with grey eyes, the only thing he seemed to inherit from his dad.  This kid was blond like Allura so the chances of him having black hair were slim, he also got her beautiful skin.  Lance walks around keeping the kid quiet.

“You can’t keep crying, your Mamá has to work.”  He says as the kid stares at him.  “But don’t worry, Tío Lance has got you.”  Sora yawns and falls asleep, Lance chuckles at how tiny Sora is.  Shouldn’t be surprising since he’s only a few weeks old and premature.

He heard the sound of complaining and explaining walking in, he smiles as he sees his friends walk in.  Pidge was talking to Keith about her classes, Keith nodding and agreeing.

“And he tells me that I’m too young to understand.  Like, how dare he!”

“I know!  Iverson always tells me I have an attitude problem, seriously, does he think I’m stupid?”

“Well here comes trouble.”  Lance teases, Pidge flips him off.  She tugs at her green turtle neck and sits at a random table.  Lance looks at Keith and points at what he was wearing.  “You know I was looking for that jacket this morning.”

“I was in a rush this morning.”  Keith says with a smile.  “You know you love seeing me in it.”  He poses a bit in it and gave a playful smile.

“You are not supposed to have that kind of power over me.”  Lance groans, a small smile on his face.  Keith chuckles.

“You’re just weak.”

“Whatever.”  Lance sticks his tongue out.  “Sora look, it’s your Uncle Keith.  Say hi to him.”  Lance hands the kid off to Keith.  He smiles and held his nephew close.

“Hey buddy.  Are they torturing you?”  He says in a teasing manner.  “Is your Mom not paying any attention to you?  How cruel.”

“DON’T BE TELLING MY CHILD LIES!”

“I speak the truth!”  Keith sat down next to Pidge holding Sora close.  Pidge messes with him.

“Hello smol one.  How’s the easy life?”  She asks.  Sora falls back asleep.  “Living the dream.”  She says.  The two continue to talk for a bit, Lance joined them after the cafe quieted down a bit.  He leans in and talks to them.

“So classes are going great from what I can tell.”

“Oh yeah… great…  wanna join us?”

“Nope, I’m fine where I am.”  Lance said with a smile.  “This is way more enjoyable than sitting in a classroom.”

“Yeah, we get yelled at all day then have homework.”  Keith says.

“I get that minus the homework, right Allura?”  Lance asks playfully.

“You are so lucky I love you Lance.”  She comments, he chuckles.  His attention was back on his friends when Pidge spoke up.

“So what’s new with you two?  You’ve been living together since August.”

“It’s nice when he doesn’t leave garbage everywhere.”  Lance teases, Keith glares at him and punches his arm.

“I thought it would be nice till I realized he’s a woman who needs fifty things just for our shower.”

“I value my skin unlike you!”  Lance huffs.  Pidge rolls her eyes as the two bicker, same old same old.

Hunk rushes in and sat next to them.

“Sorry I’m late, teach had an extra assignment and it about killed me.”  He says.  “So how is everyone?”

“Tired from making tons of drinks cause they all want to see Mr. Popular over here.”  Lance points at Keith.  “Besides that I’m fine.”

“Please don’t call me Mr. Popular.”  Keith says while rocking Sora.  Lance smirks and pokes his nose.

“Mr. Popular who gets all the girls attention.”  He sings, Keith pouts.

“I don’t want their attention.”  He says, Lance kept poking his face and giggling.

“It makes me happy though.  Hot shot bad boy Keith Kogane and he’s all mine~”  He sings.  Everyone chuckles while Keith kept pouting.  He looks at Sora and messing with the child.  Lance got up and walks into the kitchen, he comes back and hands everyone their usual.  A hot chocolate, a hibiscus tea, and a black coffee.  Lance has a hot mocha and sits with them, everyone thanks him and takes a drink.

“Man you make the best drinks.”  Hunk says as he takes a drink of his tea.

“Better than Shiro that’s for sure.”  Keith says.

“Yeah must be real hard to make these just right.”  Pidge says as she messes with her cup.  Lance chuckles and nods.

“Yes, yours is the hardest of them all Pidge.”  He said.  “Put freshly grounded coffee beans in a coffee brewer and hit brew.  Then pour and serve.”

“Ah, I’m sorry mines is so difficult.”  Pidge says, she takes a sip and smiles at her friends.  Lance pushes her glasses up on her face.

“No in all honesty Keith’s drink is the hardest.  Always wants something that would be easier to make with milk.”  He says, Keith grew a sly smile and took another drink.  Sora reaches for his cup.

“No, mine.”

“Share with your nephew Keith.”  Hunk says.

“You share with him.”

“My tea.”  Hunk held his cup away.  Sora kept reaching for Keith’s cup.  Everyone chuckles as Keith voiced his complaint.

“Stop it.”  He says.  “Sora, knock it off.”

“He’s not even a month old Keith, he doesn’t understand.”  Lance said.

“Unless he took after Allura mentally then he understands fine.”

“YOU ARE LUCKY YOU’RE OUT OF THE HOUSE KEITH!”  She shouts, Keith bats his eyes innocently.

“So yeah living together must be nice.”  Pidge says.

“He’s a bed hog then clings to the nearest heat source.”  Lance says.  Keith smiles and held his arms out.

“Starfish~  Then I go into a ball.”  He said, Lance raised an eyebrow.

“No, it’s mega starfish then cuddle to boyfriend.”  He corrects him, Keith just smiles.

“You’re warm though.”  He says, Pidge and Hunk look at each other.

“I’ve shared with Matt so I have experience in sharing a bed.  I know for a fact this big guy is a big bed hog and sleeps like that all night.”  She says.  “First hand experience, feel sorry for Shay in the future.”  That made Hunk blush.

“Shay will know my pain.  She will know my pain!”

“I don’t hog up the entire bed.”

“She will know some of my pain!”  He says, everyone except Hunk chuckles.  They all kept talking and watching people come and go.  Soon a family walks in and two kids call in happiness.

“Lance!”  A young girl shouts, he got up and held his arms out.  Sarah runs into his arms and giggles as he picks her up and spins her around.  The two separate and smile at each other.

“How are you Sweetie?”  He asks, she smiles at him.

“I’m good.”  She brushes her short hair out of her face.  Lance was a little sad that Sarah decided to cut her hair so short, but she wanted to look just like Keith.  Rico runs in and hugs Lance’s leg.

“Hey Buddy.”

“Lance!”  He held his arms up.  Lance picks Rico up and held him.  He waves at everyone, they all wave back.  Sarah runs to everyone else and hugs them.  Sam wheels himself in with Isabella next to him.

“Hey Mamá, Samuel.  How are you two?”

“Fine, you?”  Isabella asks.  Lance looks around.

“Eh, working like usual.  These guys complaining about school like usual.”

“Lance complaining about sharing a bed with me, like usual.”  Keith spoke up.  That got the larger woman to chuckle, the siblings laugh as well.

“You cuddle a lot Princess.”  Sarah said.  “Hi Sora.”  She held her finger out, Sora grabs it and looks at her.  “ _¿Qué tal estás hoy?_ ”  She asks, Keith looks down at the baby.

“He’s fine, just like always.”  He says.  The group went back to talking.

“So how’s our old domain Sam?”  Pidge asks.

“Uh it sucks and now everyone looks at me like I’m the scary one cause I know Keith.”  He says.  “I had to roll over one assholes foot cause he was talking shit.”

“In their defense you rolled over their foot.”  Lance points out.

“Asshole had it coming.”  Sam said, Pidge rolls her eyes and messed with her cup.

“Man you’re disabled but that doesn’t stop you.”

“Better believe it _Hermoso_.”  He winks, she winks back.  Lance points at her accusingly, she raised her eyebrow as to say ‘problem?’.

“You are not allowed to ever complain about Keith or I again.  You hear me?  Never again.  For as long as you both shall live.”  He says, Sam and Pidge look at each other than back at Lance.

“In my defense I’m not going to last for much longer.”  Sam says.

“What are you gonna die tomorrow?!”  Lance asks his brother.  Sam shrugs.

“Probably.”  Sam said, everyone actually laughed at that.  Soon enough they all say their goodbyes.

“You’ll come for Christmas right?”  Sarah asks Lance.  He nods and pushes her hair out of her face.

“Of course Sweetie.”

“You and Princess, right?”  She asks.  Lance laughs.

“Yes we’ll both be there.”

“Good.”  She walks back towards Isabella.  “Goodnight _hermano!_ ”

“Yes goodnight… Keith put Rico down.”  He says, Keith and Rico give Lance big eyes.

“But he wants to stay with me.”

“Kei Kei!”  He hugs Keith close.  Lance groans and took Rico from Keith and puts his brother on the ground.

“We’ll see you soon okay?”

“Tomorrow?”

“Maybe.”

“Tomorrow!  I clean tables!”  He says, Lance shook his head but couldn’t respond in time.

“N-No you can’t, and he’s gone…”  Lance said, the adults, and Pidge, laugh as Lance’s family walks away.  He couldn’t help but stare at them, he felt proud.  Lance had to admit, he was pretty lucky to have a family like that and moving here has made it clearer than ever.

“Lance, you coming?”  Keith asks, Lance looks back and nods.

“Yeah I’m coming.”  He walks up to Keith and walks next to him.  Pidge stretches and hops on her scooter.

“Well as much as I love hanging out with you guys I’ve gotta go and do homework.  Got to beat Keith at something in school.”

“Hey you ace your assignments and I’ll ace the flight tests.”  Keith said.  She chuckles and starts her green scooter up.

“See you all later.”

“ _Adiós, hermana._ ”

“ _Nos vemos, Chico Flaco._ ”  She says as she drives away.  Lance stares at her and pouts.

“Oh I am killing Sam.”  He says, Keith and Hunk laugh.  Their bigger friend looks over and gave them a big smile.

“I’m going to be the only friend in this group that won’t speak Spanish… I just realized that.”

“What are you talking about?  Not everyone will know Spanish.”  Lance says.  Keith nods.

“ _Sí. Lo haces sonar como todo el mundo que conoces es fluido en español o algo así. Quiero decir que es bastante tonto si me preguntas._ ”

“See I have no idea what you just said, but I’m sure you were just mocking me.”  Hunk says, Keith nods.

“Oh I was.”  He leans against Lance.  Hunk pouts and walks to his car.

“I’ll see you two tomorrow.”  He says.  “Make sure not to forget.”

“No promises.”  Keith said.  “And last time was wasn’t my fault.”  He reminds his friend.  Hunk said nothing but he waved his friend off.

“Yeah see ya tomorrow Buddy.”  Lance waves.  They watch Hunk drive off, Keith grabs Lance’s hand and they walked home.  Keith looks at Lance and leans against him.

“Was it really that bad?”

“Yeah it was pretty bad.”  Lance chuckles a bit.  “Don’t worry, you're getting better.  They're not as frequent anymore and hey, you remembered… like you always do.”

“Like I always do.”  Keith repeats, he looks at the dark road ahead of them, only lights were the cities.  “You know Lance, I’m happy now.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve said it before, but I guess it doesn’t hurt to say it again.”  He starts.  “Before you came into my life… I was miserable.  I never wanted to hurt anyone in my life so I decided to hide.”  He says.  “I was hiding behind a mask, one so no one could come near me.  You were the only one who saw right through it.”  He looks up at Lance with a bright smile.  “You make me so happy.”

“Well I guess I can keep making you happy.”  Lance said.

“You guess?”  Keith pushes him a bit, still holding onto his arm.

“I guess… only if you say yes.”

“Yes to what?”

“To being mine forever.”  He asks.  Keith laughs.

“I thought I’ve already agreed to that.  Until I get sick of you.”

“Which will never happen.”  Lance says in confidence.

“I don’t know, after that one night of being inside you it made me rethink-”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”  Lance asks all offended.  Keith started to laugh, the two had to stop so Keith could regain his breath.

“Nothing, I’m joking.”

“You’d better be.”  Lance pouts.  They made it to their apartment building and walked up the stairs.  “So is that a yes?”  He asks.

Keith stood there with a smile, he sighs and gave Lance his answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all your lovely comments and support. I never thought this story was going to get anywhere but you all have said some great things and made me so happy to be a part of this long journey with you guys. This story, that was suppose to be only 30 chapters long, has come to an end. Almost a year later and finally it hits the end.  
> I will still be typing Klance X Ghibli crossovers (cause I'm trash) and I will be starting my next Voltron story, an Avatar Au cause I want to. Stay tuned for that.  
> For now I say goodbye.


End file.
